The government is considering setting up a workers' university to impart technical education.
In response to a question in the parliament, Minister of State in the HRD ministry, M A A Fatmi said a committee under the chairmanship of G S Reddy had been set up to study the prospects of establishing a workers' technical university.
"The government wants to address the gap between the demand and supply of technically qualified personnel," said Fatmi.
The budget allocated for education for the year 2005-06 has been increased to Rs 12,571 crore compared with Rs 8,225 crore allocated during 2004-05.
The budgetary allocation for education is for the Department of Elementary Education and Literacy and the Department of Secondary and Hgher Eucation.
Fatmi also said that the government was implementing a programme to upgrade the quality of technical education that is imparted.
He said the World Bank-assisted Technical Education Quality Improvement Program had a cost outlay of Rs 1,550 crore in the first phase of its implementation.
Under the project, the government had received proposals from 132 institutions in 13 states.
The government was also considering the introduction of distance education in B.Ed program to be offered by Open Universities, said Fatmi.
