Beltangady: State to provide free college education to girls: R V Deshpande

Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (EP)
With Pics & Inputs from Sumanth Kashyap

Beltangady, Feb 25: R V Deshpande, state minister of higher education on Tuesday February 25 announced that free college education would be provided to female students starting from next academic year.

Minister Deshpande was speaking after inaugurating the new block for post graduate courses at SDM College, Ujire, built at a cost of Rs 30 crore.

Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Hemavati V Heggade, Mangalore university chancellor Dr T C Shivashankaramurthi, Prof S Prabhakar, chairman of Alva’s Education Foundation Dr M Mohan Alva, SDM college principal Dr B Yashovarma and joint director of collegiate education Yogananda were present.

Minister Deshpande said that free college education would be given to female students in government and aided colleges from next academic year. Their fees would be borne by the government, he said.

"Out of seventy lac students in the state only seventeen lac students opt for higher education. The government will provide facility for higher education to all students by borrowing loans from the banks in order to bring them to the mainstream and the interest on the loans will be paid by the government. Youth are the most valuable
human resource of the country and they should not be deprived of higher education due to lack of resources”, he said.

“Students should work hard, be disciplined and respect parents and teachers. Instead of hunting for jobs, they should try to be self-employed. They will have to face stiff competition at the global level. They should make use of modern technology and of the available resources to be well informed,” he said.

He announced that three lac students will be trained every year in professional expertise under Naipunya Nidhi project from April 1. While praising the progress of SDM College despite being in rural area, he said that the institute is an example for the nation.

Driving home the point that higher education should be made available for students of all economic section he reiterated a series of schemes CM Siddaramaiah announced in the recent budget. He informed about the Rajiv Gandhi scholarship scheme for students from weaker economic background who wish to pursue Ph D and degrees in science, humanities and commerce.

Dr D Veerendra Heggade, who presided over the programme, said that students should develop a spirit of service besides studies. There should be no compromise in the quality of education, he said.

He also recalled that the idea of introducing postgraduate studies in Ujire was envisioned by the late Dharmadhikari Ratnaverma Heggade.

Chief guest Dr T C Shivashankaramurthy, chancellor of Mangalore University said that quality education to all contributes to the progress of the country. He added that post graduate students should lay emphasis for research along with academic studies.

Dr Shankaramurthy announced that SDM College may get a financial assistance of upto Rs 60-70 lac as part of Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) under the 12th Five Year Plan.

Principal of SDM College Dr B Yashovarma welcomed the guests and the gathering. Dean of PG studies Dr M Y Manjula proposed the vote of thanks.