The State Budget envisages a marked enhancement of quality in the higher education sector by providing thrust on research activities.
Underlining the need to promote research, the State Budget, presented by Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac in the Assembly on Thursday, seeks to augment various ongoing schemes, including the NIT project assistance of ₹35,000 meant for promoting research aptitude, FRS project for encouraging research among postgraduate students, Fostering Linkages in Academic Innovation and Research (FLAIR) programme to develop the linkage between academic innovation and research, ‘Walk with a Scholar’ mentoring programme, and Erudite Project for introducing world famous scientists to campuses. An amount of ₹18 crore has been earmarked for the schemes.
Government colleges will receive grants from an allocation of ₹25 crore for addressing any existing inadequacies to obtain NAAC accreditation. These institutions will be encouraged to commence innovative courses. An amount of ₹5 crore has been set apart for government autonomous colleges. Lead colleges will be formed to coordinate adjacent educational institutions on cluster basis.
One classroom each in every college will be equipped with information communication facilities, including videoconferencing, as part of the online resources initiative in collegiate education. An allocation of ₹5 crore has been made to undertake the project.
A ₹300.74-crore renovation project for college buildings with the financial assistance of KIIFB will get under way during 2019-20. Besides, ₹50 crore is earmarked for providing other allied facilities such as furniture and sports.
A sum of ₹9 crore has been earmarked to provide scholarships to meritorious students for academic excellence as well as to promote literature, arts and sports among them.
The budget sets aside ₹43 crore for various engineering colleges, besides allocating a further ₹14 crore for projects aimed at enhancing quality of education and industrial exposure. Minor research centres in certain subjects will be established at these institutions. The projects, along with various courses such as automotive mechatronics, automation technologies and translational research that have been introduced in collaboration with the industries, are touted to raise the quality of technical education in the State.
While a total allocation of ₹695 crore has been made for higher education, the technical education sector stood to benefit by ₹249 crore. The total outlay for universities is ₹1,513 crore. An amount of ₹5.5 crore has been earmarked for special research promotion centres in the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram.
The budget also makes a significant allocation of ₹282 crore for the additional skill acquisition programme. Boosting efforts to establish the proposed Open University, ₹1 crore has been allocated for its preliminary works. The Kerala State Higher Education Council (₹17 crore) and Kerala Council for Historical Research (₹10 crore) will also receive allocations.
