Higher education institutions should become world-class: CM Dr. Yadav

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has said that all university campuses and other higher education institutions in Madhya Pradesh should be made world-class. All these institutions should be developed on the lines of IITs, IIMs, and other national institutions. The Chief Minister said that employment-oriented and multi-purpose subjects should be introduced in universities and colleges.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was addressing a review meeting regarding preparation of new employment-oriented subjects in all the universities and colleges. Minister for Higher Education, Technical Education Minister Shri Inder Singh Parmar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Shri Lakhan Patel, Minister of State for Public Health and Medical Education Shri Narendra Shivaji Patel, Chief Secretary Shri Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary Higher Education Shri Anupam Rajan, Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry Shri Umakant Umrao, Principal Secretary Public Health and Medical Education Shri Sandeep Yadav, Principal Secretary Sports and Youth Welfare Shri Manish Singh, Vice Chancellors of all universities, higher educationists and senior officers of the departments concerned  were present.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the study of the Ayurvedic medical system should also be conducted at Maharishi Panini Sanskrit and Vedic University, Ujjain. Serious consideration should be given to making this university an Ayurvedic University and a decision should be made. He said that making Panini University an Ayurvedic University would expand its scope and bring more than 50 Ayurvedic colleges in the state under its purview. This would be a major step.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed that all recruitments in universities be time-bound and that all recruitment and appointment processes be completed as soon as possible. In response, the Additional Chief Secretary stated that advertisements have been issued to fill vacant positions in various universities across the state. Currently, 364 positions for Professor, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor are filled, and recruitment for 1,585 other positions in these categories is underway.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav inquired about the admission process in nursing and paramedical colleges. Additional Chief Secretary Shri Rajan informed that the Nursing Council has initiated admissions for the 2025-26 academic session. The Paramedical Council has stated that the accreditation process for the 2025-26 academic session will begin within a month.   NOCs for nursing and paramedical courses will be granted at the Directorate level of the Higher Education Department, and by recognized regional universities. He informed that 70 acres of land in village Kalyanpura has been allotted to the Public Health and Medical Education Department through the Higher Education Department for the establishment of a medical college in Jhabua. He informed that Devi Ahilya University, Indore, has applied for permission to use the District Hospital, Jhabua, as a teaching hospital for the proposed medical college.

Universities must prepare a roadmap for next five years

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed Vice Chancellors of all universities to prepare a roadmap for their universities for the next five years.  The Chief Minister urged all Vice Chancellors to introduce employment-oriented subjects and degree courses in their universities, such as animal husbandry, to promote agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, tourism, mining, aviation, and dairy production. He urged universities to encourage entrepreneurship in addition to training their students. Agricultural universities should provide their students with orientation on organic farming. They should be encouraged to adopt natural farming. The Chief Minister asked all universities to disclose how many employment-oriented courses they have opened, how many students have enrolled in them, and how many students they have provided employment/placement to.

The Chief Minister urged all universities to understand the needs of industrial campuses in their respective regions and introduce new and advanced courses tailored to their needs. This will enable students to study and find employment locally.

Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education, Shri Anupam Rajan, informed that a three-year BBA Aviation course is being offered at Devi Ahilya University, Indore. Approximately 30 students have enrolled in it. Additionally, the BSc Aviation course has been launched at Barkatullah University, Bhipat, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Samrat Vikramaditya University, Ujjain, and Chitrakoot University, Chitrakoot. He informed that 384 research centers are operating in all government colleges and universities in the state. Several new research centers are to be established. Indian Knowledge Tradition Cells have been established in all universities and colleges.

A plan to organize tours of monuments of national importance for students of government universities has been incorporated as a regular activity in the annual calendar of the universities. He informed that the State Assessment and Accreditation Council (SAC) has been formed, modeled after a bank. Digital evaluation of answer sheets is being initiated in all universities and government autonomous colleges in the state from the current financial year. Recruitment and appointment processes for all vacant positions in universities are progressing rapidly.

Additional Chief Secretary of Higher Education informed that under the Prime Minister’s Usha Project, implemented for infrastructure development in universities, 38 projects have been approved in three universities of the state at a total cost of ₹326 crore. All these projects are progressing rapidly.  With the labour money from the project, construction works like construction of girls’ hostel in three universities, expansion of agricultural institute buildings, construction of auditorium and laboratory upgradation are being done.