UP govt starts work on 6 AIIMS, 25 new medical colleges

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government has started work on setting up six AIIMS and 25 new medical colleges in the state, one of the promises the BJP made in the run-up to the assembly polls.

"We promised to open six AIIMS and 25 new medical colleges in the state. We have started working in this direction. Once we shortlist areas for setting up these institutions, we will send a proposal to the Centre through the Chief Minister," Minister for Technical and Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tondon Gopalji told PTI.

He said AIIMS and medical colleges is the need of the hour keeping in mind the state's population and cater to their health needs. The institutions will be ready in the next five years.

Asked about poor quality of education being imparted to students in many engineering colleges across the state, he said: "Our priority is to improve the quality of education in all institutions. For this, we are focusing on filling up vacant teaching posts."

"I have directed to fill up 500 vacant posts of teacher before the start of new session," he added.

On students facing problems in finding job opportunities after pursuing courses in these institutions, Tondon said, "Once quality is ensured, the students will also be able to get good jobs in the market."

The government is also planning to hold 'rozgar mela' (job fair). These fairs will be started in the next three months to ensure that students of management and engineering get job, he said.

There are more than 600 private and 13 government engineering colleges in the state.

The minister said besides free WiFi on college campuses, the government will set up e-libraries to keep students abreast of the latest developments.

Among other steps to be taken in the education sector, he said that infrastructure of polytechnic institutes will be bolstered and all their students will be provided hostel facilities.