Ranking system for government colleges in Himachal soon

Education Minister Rohit Thakur has said the state government will introduce a comprehensive ranking system for all government colleges and the process is expected to begin this month. The initiative aims to promote healthy competition among institutions and enhance overall quality of higher education.

The minister made the announcement while presiding over the 75th annual prize distribution ceremony of Vallabh Government College, Mandi, one of the oldest higher education institutions in the state, established in 1948.

He felicitated meritorious students for their achievements in academics, sports and cultural activities. Thakur said of the total 134 government colleges in the state, only 34 were covered under the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The proposed state-level ranking system will include all colleges and assess their performance across multiple parameters to ensure a qualitative improvement in education, he added.

Thakur said the government was also strengthening higher education by improving infrastructure and filling vacant teaching posts. In 2023, the government appointed 484 assistant professors in colleges, while approval has already been granted for 394 additional posts, he added. In addition, 103 posts of principal have been filled through promotions during the current government’s tenure.

He noted that the government’s initiatives have contributed to Himachal Pradesh achieving a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 43 per cent in higher education, placing the state at second spot in the country after Tamil Nadu. The minister also highlighted reforms in the school education sector, stating that the state has improved its national ranking from 21st to 5th place. The government has appointed 7,000 teachers so far and the process for filling 4,000 additional posts is underway.

During his two-day visit to Mandi district, the minister inaugurated several education infrastructure projects. These included the Drang campus of Sardar Patel University, Narla, built at a cost of Rs 10.72 crore, and a new building of Government Senior Secondary School, Sahal, constructed at a cost of Rs 1.74 crore.

Yesterday, Thakur attended the 18th annual prize distribution ceremony of Government Degree College, Drang, Narla. On the demand of former minister Kaul Singh Thakur, he announced postgraduate courses in Political Science and History at the college from the next academic session. The minister also announced Rs 50,000 for cultural activities organised by the college students.