Put your degrees in your pocket

The Government will shortly launch a novel scheme to provide degree certificates to students on smart cards. The card will also contain information on the student’s background.

A pilot project is being introduced in select government polytechnics and will be gradually introduced in all degree colleges.

Minister for Higher Education Aravind Limbavali told presspersons here on Monday that the smart cards would help students in their pursuit of higher education and employment. The smart cards, issued to students on admission, would be updated at regular intervals. A student would get the degree or diploma certificate in the regular printed format and on a smart card that could not be forged or duplicated, he said.

As employers or universities abroad seek attestation of certificates produced by students, the smart cards have been designed to prevent forgery and to provide quick information on the eligibility and capability of the candidate concerned.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa will launch a series of new schemes of the Department of Higher Education at a public function to be held at Government Arts College here on Tuesday. The other schemes include “Aapta Mitra”, under which new government engineering colleges and polytechnics that do not have the required facilities will be adopted by well-equipped colleges and polytechnics in the neighbourhood. A total of 120 first grade degree colleges, 45 polytechnics and ten engineering colleges will be adopted straight away.

Mr. Limbavali said the Chief Minister would also launch the “Manavathe” scheme under which students of all government colleges, including professional ones, would be provided “value-based education” (moral science). The State Government has prepared a 20-hour module in consultation with the Art of Living Foundation of Sri Ravishankar, which has launched similar courses in foreign universities. “When foreign universities have adopted a similar programme, why not us?” the Higher Education Minister said when asked about the involvement of the foundation in the programme.

Yet another scheme that will be launched is “Sahayog”, a placement facility for students of first grade degree colleges similar to the kind provided to engineering students in the final year.

The other schemes being introduced are “Adalat” for students to settle their grievances on a platform similar to the kind provided to teachers; “Samparka”, an initiative to provide computer literacy and cyber-connectivity to all degree college students in the State; and “Angla”, a scheme to help students in rural colleges to learn communicative English.

Practical classes will also be conducted to help rural students speak English. Language laboratories will be established in government colleges and trainers will train students.