Education minister PK Shahi addresses members of All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation at Arvind Mahila College in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Education minister P.K. Shahi on Sunday admitted that the higher education scenario in the state was not encouraging despite the government spending huge sum of money.

“Around one-and-a-half years ago, the state’s allocation in higher education was around Rs 1,200 crore. The amount has gone up to Rs 4,000 crore now. Despite spending such a huge amount, the state government is not happy with the higher education scenario. The results are not very encouraging,” he said, while attending a meeting of the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation at Arvind Mahila College in Patna.

“Students from Bihar often move to other states in search of better career options. They complain that the standard of higher education in the state is not up to the mark,” Shahi said. The minister added that students were increasingly turning towards vocational subjects in search of better career options.

Shahi was, however, quick to say that the higher education (university education) did not come under the purview of the state government. “The state does not have much say in university education. It cannot interfere in the internal matter of universities,” he added.

The minister expressed concern over the way the Raj Bhavan functioned in connection with the university affairs. In a veiled reference to Arun Kumar Sinha, the vice-chancellor of BN Mandal University who also holds the posts of acting-VCs of Magadh University and Nalanda Open University, Shahi asked: “How can one person hold the VC’s post in three universities?”

The friction between the Raj Bhavan and the state government was palpable at the function when Sinha reached the stage and greeted Shahi. Though the education minister responded to Sinha’s greeting, the two did not share a word for the next half-an-hour they spent on the dais.

A senior teacher of Arvind Mahila College, who was present at the function, said: “You can make out the tussle between the state government and the Raj Bhavan from the way the minister and the vice-chancellor were sitting on the stage. It was evident that they were uncomfortable to sit together. This is not a good sign for university education in the state. There can be improvement in the sector only if there is mutual co-operation between the Raj Bhavan and the state government.”

Addressing the function, Vijendra Prasad Singh, a former general-secretary of the teachers’ organisation, blamed both the state government and the Raj Bhavan for the dismal picture of higher education in the state. He added: “University education is suffering from many problems. The number of teachers is inadequate, syllabi are not revised and there is a lack of infrastructure.”

Several All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation members from across the country attended the meeting.