Bengaluru: Two important reports regarding the educational quality in Karnataka, are like sweet and salt altogether for the state. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) survey shows that our government and aided schools are the best in the country, while Human Resource Development says that Karnataka is far behind in higher education.

According to a report by the Human Resource Department, in Karnataka, only 26.5% youth aged between 18 and 23 are studying in colleges. Our neighbours Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana and Tamil Nadu are far ahead of us. Especially in Tamil Nadu, around 50% of the youth of this age group are undergoing college education.

The higher education department is now seriously analyzing the possible reasons behind why students don’t show interest in higher education after PUC and why the youth don’t show interest in college education.

Already, the Additional Chief Secretary has conducted a meeting of senior officials of concerned departments. To improve skills and to construct knowledge-based society, higher education is a must. One cannot neglect the importance of higher education.

Meanwhile, the PU Board has taken many education enhancement programmes and conducted workshops for the lecturers, which would prove helpful in this regard.