Pvt engr colleges urge Centre for free textbooks in Odia

Bhubaneswar: After President Droupadi Murmu launched Odia textbooks for engineering courses, the Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) has urged the Centre to provide Odia textbooks free for students.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), in tune with National Education Policy 2020, has initiated technical education in 12 Indian languages for the year 2021-22 to ensure improved understanding and teaching-learning outcome.
“OPECA appeals the government to take up the responsibility through Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) and Directorate of Technical Education and Training (DTET) to print the AICTE books in Odia language and distribute the same among students. BPUT has huge funds, collected from students towards registration and examination fee, in its bank which are lying idle. The funds collected are not being utilised for students’ development. Hence, it can be utilised in this way,” said Binod Dash, honorary secretary of OPECA.
OPECA also mentioned that in the project Engineering Education in Vernacular Language, other state governments have supplied free textbooks to students.
“We are requesting the chief minister to kindly take up this matter and advise BPUT and DTET to follow the same procedure as other states. This will surely help the students in their education,” Dash pointed out.