Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday launched Career Counselling Centres in 10 universities and 52 government colleges across Odisha.
“I am happy to announce opening of Career Counselling Centres in 10 universities and 52 government colleges. Creation of Career Counselling Centres in colleges and universities will help in increasing the employability and skill output of our students,” said Naveen, while attending the workshop on Internationalisation of Higher Education organised by the Higher Education Department.
As many as 135 candidates received appointment letters for joining government colleges.
Congratulating them, he said, “I hope you will work with dedication to play a key role in fulfilling the aspirations of our students.”
He also said, “I hope with our perseverance and commitment, higher education in Odisha will be truly internationalized and we will be able to make Odisha a Quality Higher Education hub of the country,”
Over the last two decades, Odisha has steadily progressed to become a hub of higher education and research.
“I am happy to learn that during the academic meet at Make in Odisha Conclave, eminent academicians, administrators and industrialists had joined together to provide suggestions regarding governance of higher education, capacity building in research and innovation and several other key aspects to enable the State to create quality human resource,” the Chief Minister said.
In the last few years, the Odisha government has introduced a large number of reforms to enhance quality, equity, access and inclusivity of higher education in the state.
To provide impetus to its stated objectives, the state government has opened five new universities, eight new Model Degree Colleges with six more in the pipeline.
Besides, State Higher Education Council has been formed and two additional Regional Directorates have been opened, said Naveen.
The Kalings Sikshya Sathi Yojana-a loan assistance scheme at one per cent interest, provision of laptops, Green Passage scheme for orphan students and several other schemes have been immensely helpful in bringing access and inclusivity, he added.
The Odisha Higher Education Project for Excellence and Equity with loan assistance of World Bank is a transformative initiative to strengthen capacity and bring governance reforms in higher education.
“I am happy to learn that 182 MoUs have been signed between our universities and national and international institutions of repute for collaborative research, exchange programmes and knowledge partnership with industries,” the Chief Minister said.
Higher Education Minister Ananta Das and MP Dr Prasanna Patsani also spoke.
