“…Institutes like IIT, IIM and IIT should be widely spread across the country. I feel these institutes should also increase in Goa. Seeing that we are facing a lot of difficulty to set up the facility (at Cuncolim), we feel bad. It looks as if many do not know importance of technical NIT education,” Margao MLA and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said while speaking on the demands for grants on education, on Wednesday. He insisted that creation of such world class quality educational institutes will indeed develop Goa into an educational hub.
“Many people question the setting up of such educational institutes and how they will benefit Goan students. But we believe all this will develop Goa into an educational hub…” he further said, adding, “Goa has already come on the international map as far as education is concerned.”
BJP legislators agreed with the former chief minister claiming NIT will help Goa in the long run.
Kamat also urged that admissions on merit should be the only criteria, citing that some students who secure 70-80 percentage marks face injustice, as students with 50 per cent marks are given admissions if merit is not the criteria.
Meanwhile, Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai lamented the manner in which the education sector is progressing, alleging political interference. “The minister (Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who also holds education portfolio) made us believe that education is always near to his heart. This is the reason why we expect changes, a futuristic approach and a clear and definite vision in mind,” he said.
Sardesai alleged all the traits do not exist as far as school; higher secondary, technical and professional education is concerned. “I do not see a beginning for an education hub…at every stage of education there is politics and more politics,” he said.
Porvorim Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte opined that aptitude test be made compulsory among the students and department should appoint full-time counsellor in colleges. He also demanded the government draft a mental health policy. On the issue of installing CCTVs in the schools, Khaunte along with a few other MLAs urged government to partially fund the school managements as some of those schools cannot afford to install CCTVs.
MLA Rajan Naik told the House that certain sections of the people opposed NIT as they assumed it was an industrial estate. He assured that Cuncolim residents are in favour of setting up the prestigious institute in the village.
“Some people are opposed because they did not know what NIT is. They thought it is an industrial estate. But many met me and even had meetings, to support the institute.”
