No vocational courses for Plus Two students in Odisha this year

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 17:

The Plus Two students of Odisha would be deprived of vocational courses in this academic session due to lack of coordination between the Higher Education department and the Student Academic Management System (SAMS).

The Higher Education department had prepared a syllabus for 12 vocational courses for the Plus Two students and 10 courses for Plus Three students from 2015-16 academic session.

As per the syllabus, students will have to choose one of the vocational courses of the four elective papers and appear in the examinations having a total of 100 marks comprising 40% of theory subjects and 60% of practical subjects.

Considering that there are no special teachers for vocational courses in the state, the syllabuses were prepared to impart vocational training to the teachers of Arts, Science and Commerce.

The Higher Education department had asked the SAMS to upload the new vocational syllabuses so to enable the students to avail the course this year.

However, the syllabus was not uploaded in the website and as a result of which the Plus Two students were deprived of vocational courses.

Meanwhile, the department, in a letter to the principal of all Plus Two colleges has asked to take necessary steps to introduce the vocational syllabuses from this year.

However, there has been no response from these colleges till date, sources said.

It may be mentioned that the Higher Education department has decided not to introduce Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in Plus Three colleges from this year citing lack of infrastructure in these colleges.

However, it has agreed to introduce CBCS in the autonomous colleges which come under the jurisdiction of Utkal University.