Disparity in education quality irks Partha Chatterjee

Kolkata: State education minister Partha Chatterjee on Friday expressed his displeasure over the disparity in the quality of education imparted by different private engineering colleges in the state. “The education standard in some of the private engineering colleges in the state is not up to the mark. The quality should be such that our students can compete not only in the state, but also at the national and international level,” Mr Chatterjee said at the pre-counselling session organised by the Association of Professional Academic Institutions (APAI) at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Elaborating his stand, the education minister stressed the need for good quality of teaching and non-teaching staff in a number of private engineering colleges, pointing out that many lack the congenial atmosphere needed for good education.

“You should not attract students with ties and jackets or taking them for foreign tours. Your main objective should be ensuring employability for the students. There has been a number of complaints regarding some private engineering colleges,” he said.

The education minister advised the institutions to have placement officers who should be working to organise campus interviews for the students, keeping in touch with the industry. “There are allegations among the teachers of the private colleges regarding disparity in their salary structure. You must know that a teacher who is unhappy will not deliver his best. You have to keep this in mind,” the minister said, adding that a number of colleges in Asansol Durgapur has disparity in salaries of teachers.

He urged APAI to take up the responsibility to improve the standard of education in the private engineering colleges.