The results of government colleges are not up to the mark as compared to private colleges. What are the reasons behind the poor performance? Are teachers to be blamed?

Of course, teachers are to be blamed primarily for the poor show. Students and parents are partly responsible for it. College education is in a shambles. If teachers are not committed and sincere, how can you expect the education scenario to improve?

What action are you planning against insincere teachers?

On every working day, teachers are required to be present in colleges, take one class per batch and stay on campus for at least five hours. We ensure this through the principals, who submit monthly reports to us. We also conduct regular inspections.

Higher education in the state is in a mess. The pass percentage in Plus Two for arts, science and commerce streams dipped in comparison to last year’s results. What are your plans to revamp the education sector?

Money alone cannot improve the scenario. The teachers’ job is not limited to taking classes; they must know whether the students have grasped any knowledge or not. So, more than anything, our mentality has to change.

Nearly 60,000 seats at the Plus Two level are lying vacant even after four rounds of admissions. In degree colleges too, around 6,800 seats have not been filled up. Don’t you think we have too many colleges in comparison to the number of candidates applying for Plus Two and Plus Three?

There has been a huge growth of colleges. That is why we have more seats but not sufficient number of students. The large-scale vacancy is a matter of concern but thanks to the e-admission system, there is transparency now.

But the e-admission system has received criticism from various quarters. Even the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said the system is defective and allows scope for manipulation.

E-admission was introduced last year. There will be some faults initially but that does not mean we criticise the system. Whatever defects have come to our notice will be rectified.

Do you think Orissa is ready for online admissions? Many applicants said they were not computer-savvy and had trouble understanding the e-admission system.

Those who are saying this are mistaken. There are computers in every block. I don’t think there has been much of a problem for applicants.

Are you not planning to derecognise all those Plus Two colleges where the student enrolment has been less than 10?

We are thinking on those lines. We will review the facilities available in colleges that have fallen out of favour with students. The affiliation granted to them is provisional and will be withdrawn if they fail to perform.

The government has imposed a ban on private tuitions by government college teachers. But these are not adhered to in letter and spirit.

We have taken action whenever such instances have been brought to our notice.

Coming to sports, do you feel concerned that many sportspersons are leaving Orissa for better prospects?

What is wrong with that? I have said many times that our sports department is not there to provide employment to them.

You were inspired by Biju Patnaik to join politics and now you are working with his son, Naveen. How do you equate both the leaders?

Had they been contemporaries, it would have been easy for me to equate them. Biju babu was the No.1 leader during his time and now Naveen babu is No.1.

Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee president, Niranjan Patnaik, who belongs to your constituency, is said to be your political rival. How are your relations with him?

Not good, not bad.

You belong to the mineral-rich Keonjhar district where the mining scam has taken place. BJD ministers’ sons are also said to be illegally transporting minerals. What’s your take on Opposition demanding a CBI inquiry on it?

As far as my knowledge goes, no one from BJD is a mine owner. It is only the Congress people, Niranjan Patnaik and his brothers, who are involved in mining operations. Government is to get more than Rs 1,100 core from Indrani Patnaik, a relative of Niranjan babu. The vigilance is doing its job in the right direction and there is no need to hand over the case to CBI.

There have been allegations of your involvement in the multi-crore coal scam.

Vigilance department has not said anything about my involvement.

It is alleged that your sons are trying to use your clout to dominate the political scenario in Keonjhar district.

False cases have been lodged against my sons by my political rivals. It is all politically motivated.

Teacher-turned-politician

Soft-spoken and affable, 68-year-old Badri Narayan Patra is the minister of higher education as well as of sports and youth affairs.

Though he started his career as a college lecturer, he has effectively carved a niche for himself in state politics today.

Patra completed his graduation with economics honours from Bhadrak College and also holds a master’s degree in the same subject from Ravenshaw University in Cuttack. He then went on to become an economics lecturer at Bhima Bhoi College in Redhakhol, Sambalpur.

Inspired by Biju Patnaik, Patra resigned from his teaching profession and entered politics in 1989. He was elected from the Ramachandrapur constituency in Keonjhar district in 1990. During his 20-year stint in active politics, he has lost the Assembly elections in 1995 and 2004.

Patra was earlier minister for housing and urban development. He was also member of a number of Assembly House Committees including on environment, English medium schools, forest protection, public undertaking and committee on members’ amenities.

Father of five sons, Patra has been successful in mobilising support for the Biju Janata Dal in Keonjhar, his home district, which was earlier dominated by the Congress. As a politician, he is involved in a number of youth welfare activities.

What would you have been had you not been a politician?

I was an economics lecturer and would have continued with teaching.

Today, reflecting back on the years that have gone by, I feel happy about the way things have panned out for me.

I entered politics on the invitation of the late chief minister, Biju Patnaik. He told me he was looking for a potential leader to field in the elections in 1989 and I agreed. I resigned from the post of lecturer before contesting the polls. But even otherwise, I hail from a family of politicians; my father and grandfather were both freedom fighters.