Know all about State Councils Of Higher Education (SCHE) - Functions Role Objectives

State Councils of Higher Education have been constituted by the individual state governments by the National Policy on Education (SCHE). These councils create synchronized plans for the growth of higher education in every state. Hence, they aim to combine public efforts and expenditures with those of higher education institutions.

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• Karnataka State Higher Education Council

• Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education

• Telangana State Council of Higher Education

• Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education

• Kerala State Higher Education Council

• West Bengal State Council of Higher Education

• Bihar State Higher Education Council

• Haryana State Higher Education Council

• Manipur State Higher Education Council

• Mizoram State Higher Education Council

• Odisha State Higher Education Council

• Uttarakhand State Higher Education Council

HISTORY OF SCHE

The Higher Education Act of 1997 established the Council on Higher Education (CHE) as an independent statutory body. The Council was given two major areas of responsibility under that Act. The first was the mandate to advise the Minister of Higher Education and Training (or, at the time, the Minister of Education) on all matters about higher education to further the system's goals of equity and quality, as well as to assist it in responding to economic and social development needs, providing effective and efficient management, and contributing to the public good.

The second major responsibility was to establish and manage an external quality assurance system for higher education, which would be carried out through the Higher Education Quality Committee, the organization's permanent committee (HEQC). The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Act of 2005 gave the CHE additional responsibilities, making it the Quality Council (QC) for higher education. As such, it is responsible for managing the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework of the NQF (HEQSF). Source

ROLE OF SCHE

SHECs are entrusted with planning and coordination, academic, advisory, and administrative functions, according to UGC guidelines.

State-level planning for higher education is essential, and state councils for higher education are expected to play a crucial role in this, according to the Twelfth Five Year Plan National Mission on Higher Education (RUSA) 2013. The development and execution of the centrally sponsored RUSA program in each state are reliant on SHECs. Eight states have SHECs established as of March 2014, and other states are in the process of doing so.

Although all SHECs were created by the same rules and standards, their range of tasks varies. In response to these worries, the Center organized a conference of the SHEC chairpersons on March 25–26, 2014, in New Delhi, working with the UGC, MHRD, and Planning Commission.

The main goal of the consultative meeting was to discuss concerns with the States regarding the function of state higher education councils in state-level higher education planning. It also brought together various state councils to exchange experiences and set the agenda for the future.

Representatives from every SHEC currently operating in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat attended the consultative meeting. The meeting was attended by thirteen SHEC delegates in all. Source

FUNCTIONS OF SCHE

• To create integrated higher education programs in the state in conformity with the criteria periodically given by the University Grants Commission, and to assist in their implementation while keeping in mind the state's overall priorities and perspectives on higher education.

• To assist the University Grants Commission in establishing and maintaining standards, as well as to suggest corrective action when necessary.

• To support and encourage new ideas in curriculum development, course reorganization, and syllabus revision in the University and Colleges.

• To coordinate and promote the Autonomous Colleges initiative, as well as to supervise its execution.

• To create programs to promote more academic collaboration and interaction between college and university professors, as well as to make it easier for students and teachers to move around the state and beyond.

• To prepare an overview report on the operations of the state's universities and colleges and to provide a copy of the report to the University Grants Commission. Source

THE MISSION 

The State Council of Higher Education is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of academic and related administrative standards throughout the State's higher education system, adhering closely to the guidelines provided by the University Grants Commission.

Through various studies and reports, the Council assists the Ministry of Higher Education in developing new policy initiatives. It also convened the Council to deliberate on critical policy issues affecting institutions of higher learning. One of the Council's goals is to monitor academic and administrative quality in all state-aided and state-accredited institutions of higher learning.

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CONCLUSION

For planning and coordinating higher education at the state level, the UGC suggested the creation of a Higher Education Council in 1988. State Councils of Higher Education have been constituted by the individual state governments following the National Policy on Education (SCHE). These councils create synchronised plans for the growth of higher education in every state. Hence, they aim to combine public efforts and expenditures with those of higher education institutions.