Emphasis on education

Published : Oct 22, 2004 00:00 IST

THE Akshara Dasoha, or the midday meal scheme, was extended last year from the seven northern districts to all the districts of the State. Despite some initial hiccups, the scheme was remarkably successful in getting children into school. The present government has strengthened the scheme by extending it to standard VII in all government and grant-in-aid schools, thus bringing in another 26 lakh children under its purview. The outlay for education has been hiked by 61 per cent - last year's outlay of Rs.535 crores has been increased to Rs.860 crores despite the loss to the government exchequer owing to the ban on online lotteries, the revenues from which had hitherto funded the midday meal scheme.

The government has decided to extend the scheme to students up to standard X over the next five years in both government and grant-in-aid schools. There are other new initiatives in education. One of these is a decision to start 30 new residential schools for the poor. These institutions will cater exclusively to students from the Schedule Castes, Sschedule Tribes, backward classes and minorities.

In the realm of higher education, particularly professional education, the government has tried, in opposition to the powerful private sector interests in higher education, to bring some degree of relief for students in respect of fees and admissions. A consensus formula on admissions was worked out in discussion with representatives of the private education lobby, although this was later challenged in court. But to show its own resolve in providing quality education at nominal costs the present government has announced the establishment of five medical colleges and three dental colleges in the government sector. The medical colleges will be set up at Bidar, Raichur, Hassan, Mandya and Belgaum and the dental colleges at Hubli, Bellary and Mysore.

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