Government keen to improve quality of education: Minister

The two-day international conference on ‘Role of Higher Education in National/International Development’ got under way at the Sri Krishna Arts and Science College here on Saturday.

The Association of Indian College Principals and Sri Krishna Arts and Science College are holding the 18th edition of the conference.

State Higher Education Minister K.P. Anbalagan, who inaugurated the conference, said that the State’s gross enrolment ratio at 44.8 per cent was higher than the nation’s 23.6. The State’s ratio in enrolment of girls in higher education too was higher than the national average. The State Government’s objective was to improve the quality of education, given the fact that the number of colleges was high. The Government alone had started 67 colleges in the last five years. It had 58 of the 757 universities in the country and 2,470 of the 29,506 colleges. The Government’s guiding philosophy while improving the quality of education was access, equity, quality and employability.

State Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani said that the quality of education in Tamil Nadu was so good that the colleges here attracted students from other states.

Subash Brahmbhatt, president, Association of Indian College Principals, presented the conference theme.

A. Ganapathi, Vice-Chancellor, Bharathiar University, spoke. S. Malarvizhi, Chairperson, Sri Krishna Institutions, presided over the conference. K. Sundararaman, Chief Executive Officer, Sri Krishna Institutions, was also present.