Constitute State Assessment Council (SAC) on Lines of NAAC: Chief Minister Dr. Yadav

Bhopal, June 2026 : Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has directed that new colleges be established in urban areas to meet the growing demand for higher education. He also suggested that institutions located in densely populated areas consider introducing shift-based teaching arrangements to accommodate increasing student enrolment. The Chief Minister instructed the Higher Education Department to initiate the process of constituting a State Assessment Council (SAC) on the lines of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Chief Minister Dr. Yadav emphasised the need to focus on employment-oriented courses and directed the Higher Education Department, in coordination with other concerned departments, to prepare new programmes and initiatives for students in view of the forthcoming Year of Youth.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav expressed satisfaction over the efforts to popularise undergraduate Agriculture programmes and appreciated the initiative that has enabled more than 20,000 students across the State to enrol in agriculture courses. He congratulated the Higher Education Department for this achievement.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was reviewing the activities of the Higher Education Department at Mantralaya on Thursday. Higher Education Minister Shri Inder Singh Parmar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Neeraj Mandloi, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education, Shri Anupam Rajan and other senior officials were present at the meeting.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed that continuous efforts be made to improve the quality of higher education. He emphasised that PM SHRI Colleges should take concrete steps in this direction and that teaching and other academic activities should function smoothly across all government colleges. The Chief Minister also reviewed progress in the introduction of new academic programmes.

The meeting was informed that a three-year BBA in Aviation programme has been launched in Indore, Ujjain and Chitrakoot. Universities and colleges across the State have established Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Cells. At present, 384 research centres are operational in Madhya Pradesh, including 83 new centres established during the past year. 100 research centres are planned to be established in the coming years.

The State has achieved a 1.8 per cent increase in Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), compared to the national increase of 1.1 per cent. Over the past two-and-a-half years, the National Law Institute University (NLIU) has secured the 27th rank, while Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Indore, has attained the 49th rank. Three other higher educational institutions from the State have also been recognised by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for excellence.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed Raja Shankar Shah University, Chhindwara, to introduce high-quality future-oriented academic programmes. He assured financial support from the State Government for this purpose and specifically called for courses in Food Processing, Architecture and Agricultural Sciences. He also emphasised the need to introduce new programmes aligned with students’ interests and emerging career opportunities.

Major Achievements of the Department

The meeting was informed that the Higher Education Department is making extensive use of information technology. Madhya Pradesh secured the top position in the country with 352,931 registrations on the SWAYAM portal in July 2025. During the July 2026 semester, registrations stood at 273,266.

New universities have been established in Guna, Khargone and Sagar, while a new Law College has been opened in Agar Malwa. Postgraduate classes in 28 subjects have been introduced in eight colleges. A total of 618 higher educational institutions in the State have registered on the Ministry of Education’s One Nation-One Subscription portal, which has been accessed by more than 800,000 students and researchers. Madhya Pradesh has also secured the top position in the country under this initiative.

In the field of mental health, 5,000 faculty and staff members have been trained, while 71,705 students have participated in the Manobal Sessions. Academic and cultural activities are being conducted through a three-phase academic calendar issued from July to March. Expert committees have also been constituted to facilitate the effective implementation of the Indian Knowledge System and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

A total of 55 government colleges have been upgraded as Prime Minister Colleges of Excellence, with enhanced academic and infrastructure facilities. Among the key innovations introduced are Digital Studios at all 10 divisional headquarters. E-content is being made available through the e-Gyan Setu Channel, including content in Hindi as well as regional languages such as Bundeli, Bagheli and Malvi.

The Department has also launched a mobile application for e-Admission, while attendance is being monitored through the Sarthak App. Universities have been integrated with the Samarth Software Platform. AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics) Labs are being established in eight colleges across the State. These labs will support skill development in animation, visual effects, gaming and comics. In collaboration with IIT Delhi, AI courses are currently being offered in 68 colleges. The process has also been initiated to facilitate education in non-Hindi Indian languages.

The Department secured second place in the State on the iGOT Karmayogi Portal during Sadhana Week for its outstanding performance.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav’s Key Directives

• Greater emphasis should be placed on employment-oriented courses in colleges and universities.
• Part-time colleges should be introduced, with classes conducted in morning and evening shifts.
• College classes may also be conducted in Sandipani School buildings wherever required.
• Counselling facilities should be provided for students passing Class XII.
• Necessary arrangements should be made in colleges for offering courses in Food Processing, Architecture, Agricultural Sciences and other vocational subjects.