New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) Keen to push key educational reforms bills during the ongoing session of parliament, the government will hold informal discussions with the opposition parties Aug 16 to sort out differences over the provisions, officials said here Monday.
As many as 14 education-related legislations are pending in parliament.
Among the educational reform bills that have faced opposition from both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left are: the Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, National Commission of Higher Education and Research (NCHER) Bill and Educational Tribunal Bill.
Other key bills awaiting passage include the Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical Educational Institutions, Medical Educational Institutions and University Bill, 2010 and the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010.
According to an official, while the BJP leaders agreed to the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010, in the Rajya Sabha, they have expressed reservations on the legislation, which was listed for passage in the Lok Sabha Monday.
The bill deals with the mushrooming of private higher educational institutions which are churning out graduates who find it difficult to get suitable employment, the official added.
Similarly, the Educational Tribunal Bill has been stuck up since 2010 as some Congress members also are opposed to its provisions.
According to the official, an informal meeting between Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and leaders of opposition parties has been fixed for Aug 16 to discuss their objections to various provisions of the educational reform bills.
Fresh copies of the legislations will be dispatched to the leaders of these parties so that they could read them and come prepared for the discussion, the official said.
