28/05/2016 …. Goa, Daman and Diu became liberated after four and half centuries of foreign rule on 19th December 1961 by operation Vijay launched by Indian Army. From that day till 30th May 1987, Goa enjoyed the status of a Union Territory along with Daman and Diu.
Goa was bestowed with Statehood on 30th may 1987 and it became the 25th state of the Indian union. Education and that too “Quality Education” is the need of the hour and the territory has seen it all in the last five and half decades. Advancement in education at all levels was a key for Goa’s progress.
From 1961 to 1987, the education system saw a qualitative expansion and betterment. The focus was on advancement of school education and its expansion, diversification and improvement. Later the focus shifted towards the advancement of Higher education in all the talukas of the state at every hook and corner.
Goa, Daman and Diu’s first Chief Minister Shri D.B. Bandodkar arranged to open government primary schools even in the remotest Villages of our state. High Schools and colleges followed due to lot of private initiatives and governments liberal grant-in-aid policy.
Goa’s overall literacy stands at around 90% and is a testimony of the growth of education at grass root levels. At the time of liberation it was very poor. There is a quantum jump in terms of student enrollment since liberation.
After Statehood, qualitatively the education has seen a sea change. The establishment of Goa University in 1985 which today ranks at a very high rating as per the Ministry of Human Resource Developments recent ratings. Prior to the establishment of the university, all the institutions were affiliated to Bombay (Mumbai) University.
The university today boasts of a number of programs like Masters in Marine Biotechnology( conducted by open All India Exams of JNU), integrated five years, MBA course in Hospitality management, Masters in Financial services, Masters in business administration besides the conventional courses in Arts, Science and commerce. The Phd’s conferred every year is on the rise and gross enrollment rate (GER) is on the rise in Higher education.
The implementation of the Central government programmes in Higher education like the Rastriya Uchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (R.U.S.A) has yielded rich dividends and there has been a sustainable expansion of facilities at Institutions of Higher learning in the state. There is an autonomous college in S.P Chowgule college Margao with government college Quepem on the verge of becoming autonomous.
The establishment of a National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Farmagudi and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Goa will take the standards of education in Engineering and Technology to a new high. The medicine branch has diversified with rise in seats for MBBS and Dentistry-BDS.
The establishment of five para-medical courses in the state like physiotherapy, optometry, etc has opened up new vistas. The government schemes to promote education by providing loans like Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye (Bursery) scheme and scholarships like Goa Scholar Scheme has also seen a number of Goan students going overseas for higher education at Masters level in medicine, technology, management and various other fields.
The progress too has been immense at lower levels too. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) has seen to it that all children in the age group of (6-14)years go to school and the recent announcement by the government to introduce mid-day meals for event the IX and X standards will have good results especially in the rural areas.
At the Secondary level too, the Rashtriya Madhyanik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) has seen vocationalisation being introduced in a big manner under the NSQF wherein vocationalisation is promoted in 15 trades from standard IX onwards which is continued till 12th standard through the vocational stream currently implemented in Goa through 49 Higher secondary schools at ‘+2’ stage.
The recent announcement of the establishment of a community college in Agriculture will facilitate Goans to take up agriculture. There is also the Degree course in Agriculture at Don Bosco College in Sulcorna. Such developments in various disciplines today open up new vistas for Goan youth.
Goan youth need to be more competitive and come in the Indian mainstram by appearing in the All India competitive exams by thorough preparation for exam like civil services exam, Banking Sector exams, Defence exams, NEET, IIT, etc to take Goa’s name on the highest pinnacle of Indian educational scenario.
“Acche Din for Goa have timely come in educational sector which needs to be used constructively by Goan students to make it really big at All India levels thus proving the fact that Goan youth are second to none in the country in every vocation.
Ample job opportunities are created in Goa by the ‘Goa State Investment Promotion Board’ which ’facilitates employment. Programmes like make in India, skill India, and Digital India start up India have to be made a reality by taking help of a number of government schemes like Dr. Verghese Kurian Chief Ministers Rozgar Yojana and the Prime Ministers Rozgar Yojana which will erase the unemployment problem and entrepreneurship will flourish and Goan youngsters will be seen as a more of “Job giver” rather than a ‘Job Seeker’ .
Wishing all Goans on the occasion of Statehood and prosperous times ahead.
