Bhubaneswar, Aug. 7: The state government has decided to deny permission to start postgraduate courses in the state’s degree colleges because of the shortage of qualified teachers.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the development commissioner and secretary higher education department Gagan Dhal. It was decided that postgraduate courses would only be run in the universities for now.

The cap will be applicable until qualified teachers are appointed in degree classes, said a senior official.

The meeting also decided not to allow opening of new Plus Two and Plus Three colleges from the current academic session as a large number of seats in the newly-opened colleges have fallen vacant during the admission in the Plus Two and Plus Three streams this year.

However, it was decided that the number of seats would be increased in colleges situated in educationally backward districts and rural areas. This would be done to increase the gross enrolment ratio in the higher education sector of the state.

Also, in an effort to ensure equity and access for girl students, more seats would be added in science and commerce streams in the existing junior and degree women’s colleges.

It was agreed at the meeting to restrict the opening of self-financing courses in colleges and instead concentrate on creation of infrastructure so that students can afford quality education at a reasonable cost.

Various officials of the higher education department present at the meeting also discussed introduction of WiFi systems and e-libraries for modernising colleges and universities.