Bhubaneswar, Oct. 20: The department of higher education is scouting for partners to set up seven community colleges in various districts of the state.
The authorities have invited expression of interest from reputed private institutions to conduct advanced diploma courses in the proposed colleges. Apart from providing technical support in conducting theory and practical classes, the partners will also be responsible for extending laboratory facilities along with making arrangements for teaching and administrative staff.
“The interested parties will have to sign an MoU to ensure 100 per cent placement for students,” said a senior officer of the department.
“The objective is to ensure increased job opportunities for the students. The partners can develop their own training modules and classes to suitably train the students for jobs,” he added.
To begin with, the department will have an agreement in the public-private-partnership mode for two courses — tourism and hospitality and retail trade — on a pilot basis.
The intake for each course has been restricted to 50 students in each of the seven community colleges.
“We are developing modern study material for the two courses. Since the colleges are being operated on a pilot basis now, new courses will be added based on the popularity of the two courses. The intake will also be increased gradually,” said higher education secretary Gagan Kumar Dhal.
Although, classes in the community colleges were supposed to begin from this academic session, work has been delayed following the cyclone and subsequent flood. “However it is being ensured that the classes start from this academic session itself,” said Dhal. The seven community colleges will be set up in Khalikote Autonomous College in Ganjam, Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Dharanidhar Autonomous College in Keonjhar, Vikram Deb Autonomous College in Jeypore, Maharaja Purna Chandra (Junior) College in Baripada, Government Autonomous College in Rourkela and Government Autonomous College in Bhawanipatna.
The colleges are being established under the ministry of human resource development’s community college scheme. The proposals for private partners will be evaluated and approved by a high level committee of the department, said an official.