Pointing out that between 1500 and 1800 engineers are being readied every year in the State, the Chief Minister said that Goa is turning into an educational hub. That the government is thinking along the lines of the State being seen as an educational hub is welcome, but mere statements will not make it happen, and there is a lot more effort that will be required if at the national level Goa indeed begins to be seen as an educational hub. It is always a matter of pride to have centre of excellence in one’s State, unfortunately Goa currently has too few of them and could do with quite a few more.
If we look at engineering today, the State has an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), a National Institute of Technology (NIT), a Government Engineering College, and about four private engineering colleges. This was pointed out by the Chief Minister, who added that there are six polytechnics and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). No doubt, as he pointed out, science education is in a ‘nutritional environment’ in the State. But, if we look at the all India scenario, there is an IIT and a NIT now in every State, or being planned in every State. That does not give Goa an edge over the other States in this respect or in this branch of education. Besides this, Goa has one Medical College, one Dental College, one Pharmacy College, one University with a Management programme, a private management institute, two law colleges and myriad other colleges, almost all affiliated to the lone university.
Look at NIT-Goa that was established in 2010 and has already held three convocations of graduating students. It has only recently been allotted land for a campus of its own, and is functioning from a temporary campus. In the meantime, the land for an IIT is still being finalised, with either the Centre not satisfied with the site, or local objecting to the institute in their village or in their neighbourhood. The IIT too has begun to function from a temporary campus. In the light of this, efforts to turn Goa into an educational hub must be given an impetus, and delays such as the search for land, should not be allowed to be repeated.
Keeping in mind the future, the government should seriously consider promoting Goa as an educational hub, where not only will top institutions from India look at starting a branch, but even international colleges could find the State attractive enough to set up institutes. Before beginning to promote itself as an educational hub, the State would have to identify and acquire a suitably large piece of land that could be used as a composite site for various institutions. This is a long process, and will not happen overnight or with a few months. The key here would be to get the IIT and NIT fully functional from their own premises, and then sell the State to other institutions, private ones included, as an educational hub, to which the best of institutions would be attracted.
After the National Institute of Oceanography and later the Centre for Antarctic Research were set up in Goa, there have been no other major government education and research oriented institutions that have come to Goa. The NIT and now the IIT have come in recent times, not selectively to Goa, but as part of a larger plan to have such institutes across the country. The State has to look beyond these at other colleges, institutions, research centres and lure them to Goa, it has to aggressively sell the State as an educational hub, if it is serious. That should be a priority of this government.
