From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jul 30: Union Minister of State of Human Resource Development D Purandeswari informed Shantaram Naik, MP in the Rajya Sabha that since Goa does not have an educationally backward block no model school will be established in Goa in the first phase.

Purandeswari stated that Central Government has decided to set up 6000 high quality model schools at the block level, at the rate of one school per block, as benchmarks of excellence. The first phase of the scheme to set up 25000 Model Schools in educationally backward blocks (EBBs) under the State Governments was launched in November, 2008.

She said that eventually every block is likely have a model school, however, in the first phase, there is no proposal to set up model schools under the State Government in Goa, as the state does not have any educational backward block. In blocks other than EBBs, schools are envisaged under public private partnership.

She further said that an amount of Rs 12,750 crore has been allocated for this scheme for the 11th Five Year Plan, and Rs 350 crore has been provided in the budget for 2009-10.

The minister also informed Naik that for the schools to be set up and managed by State Governments, land to be provided by the State Government concerned, which also has to bear 25% of recurring and non-recurring cost during the 11th Plan. The share of special category state is 10% medium of instruction, affiliating Board and admission policy are to be decided by the state government.

In a reply to another question regarding the popular demand for reserving certain percentage of seats for locals in Central Universities, Smt. Purandeswari said that the role of Central Universities established by Acts of Parliament is, inter-alia, to help remove regional imbalances, to contribute a corporate intellectual like in the country and to further national integration. While Central Universities are expected to maintain their all-India character in admissions, appointments and the nature of their courses and programmes, opening of these Universities in each State is intended to ensure higher access and participation by eligible persons belonging to local population.