PANAJI: Following the record percentage of 90.10 as registered by the students at the summer 2016 HSSC examination conducted by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, the government has decided to permit opening of four evening colleges – two each in North and South Goa – from the academic year 2016-17, for accommodating the surplus students, who would be seeking admissions to the undergraduate courses.
“The directorate of higher education will seek proposals from the desiring colleges, and the same would be considered subject to availability of adequate teaching faculty as well as infrastructure, and good road connectivity to the colleges,” said Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar while inaugurating Edu Next Goa 2016, a two-day education and career fair, jointly organised by the government of Goa, S S Dempo College of Commerce and Economics and ‘The Navhind Times.’
It may be recalled that the government had proposed to introduce a concept of evening colleges in Goa, in its budget for the year 2016-17. For this initiative, a provision of Rs 20 lakh was made in the budget. The selected colleges will have to start related enrollment in June/ July, later this year. City MLA Sidharth Kunkalienkar, registrar of Goa University Y V Reddy and trustee of Dempo Charities Trust Yatish Dempo were also present.
Speaking further, the Chief Minister said that the Dempo Charities Trust has shown inclination to start evening colleges in the streams of arts and commerce. “The government will positively consider the same,” he said.
Parsekar, who also holds the education portfolio, said that the students should not dream only about government jobs as their career option, but need to start their career with small startup. “The Chief Minister’s Rozgar Yojana implemented through the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is very much helpful in this respect, with over 6,000 youth having availed financial assistance through it,” he said, noting that this year the EDC officials would be moving to deep interiors of the Goan villages to spread awareness about the scheme, with an added incentive of 25 per cent subsidy included in the scheme.
Principal of the S S Dempo College of Commerce and Economics Radhika Naik, in her welcome speech said that this is the fifth edition of Edu Next Goa, and gives very good opportunities to the students for choosing their career options, as well as provides aptitude test for them so that they understand their capacity and liking.
Administrator of Dempo Charities Trust Sunil Prabhudesai and general manager of ‘The Navhind Times’ Pramod Revankar were also present on the occasion.