Dumka, July 16: The Jharkhand government is preparing to introduce a new higher education module under the National Education Policy (NEP) to make learning more flexible and employment-oriented. The initiative will allow students who discontinue their studies to resume their education later without losing their academic credits.
The announcement was made by Rahul Kumar Purwar, Principal Secretary of the Department of Higher and Technical Education, after a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor and senior officials of Sidho Kanhu Murmu University (SKMU) in Dumka.
Addressing reporters, Purwar said the new academic framework has been designed keeping students’ interests in mind. Under the proposed system, students who are forced to leave their studies midway due to personal or financial reasons will be able to continue from where they left off, with their previously earned academic achievements remaining valid.
The state government also plans to strengthen technical education in the Santhal Pargana region by establishing new institutions. These include a Dairy Engineering College at Hansdiha in Dumka, an Engineering College in Sahibganj, and several new polytechnic institutes. Technical education clusters have already been formed in Dumka and Godda, while a similar cluster is being planned for Sahibganj.
Purwar further announced that the process of filling vacant teaching and non-teaching posts in universities will begin in early 2027 under the provisions of the National Education Policy. He said an academic calendar will also be introduced to ensure that university sessions, examinations and result publication are conducted on time.
The Principal Secretary added that future academic programmes will be designed in line with local needs and employment opportunities. Considering Jharkhand’s growing potential in eco-tourism, the department is also exploring the possibility of introducing eco-tourism-related courses in the higher education curriculum.
Responding to allegations raised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) regarding the functioning of Sidho Kanhu Murmu University, Purwar said the department is taking the matter seriously and will take appropriate steps to address any shortcomings identified during the review.
