DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh formed a committee of university vice chancellors (VCs) on Monday to work out examination reforms and review curriculums for scaling up the quality of higher education in the state in line with the advances taking place across the world. The committee, under the chairmanship of the Guru Nanak Dev University VC, will also look into the possibility of introducing new courses and digital education and submit its report within 60 days. Underlining the need to keep up with the transformation taking place globally in education, Singh tasked the committee with drafting a plan to bring the state's education system on par with the world. New and relevant courses should be identified to ensure that the students are in tune with the changes taking place in global education, an official statement issued here quoted him as saying. The chief minister also directed that all new colleges in the state must start classes from the 2021-22 academic session. Reviewing the functioning of the higher education and languages department, he directed the secretary, higher education to speed up the recruitment process for filling up 931 posts of assistant professors in government colleges. Apprising the chief minister of the recruitment, Secretary, Higher Education VK Meena said the process to fill the posts was initiated after putting an end to the complex litigation of over 17 years. Further, the state government has also allowed the filling up of 1,925 posts of assistant professors in government-aided colleges, of which 1,400 have already been filled, 410 teachers regularised while the process for 118 is underway. Meanwhile, Singh digitally launched the online programmes or courses launched by the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar for the Punjabi diaspora across the globe. He also ordered the immediate release of Rs five crore for establishing a language award to promote Punjabi. The chief minister said the online courses would go a long way in helping youngsters learn the Punjabi language and imbue them with the spirit of "Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat". The endeavour would also keep Punjabi youngsters abreast of the state's rich and glorious cultural heritage, thus connecting them with their ancestral roots, he said. (editor@dailyworld.in)