Bhubaneswar: State’s higher education department has initiated the tender process for procuring laboratory equipment for govt and govt-aided degree colleges, aiming to enhance the quality of science education.
The tender for lab equipment procurement was floated on Friday, with a pre-bid meeting scheduled for Tuesday. According to an official notification, the technical bid will be opened on Apr 28.
The department has listed the required equipment for modernising science laboratories in over 200 aided and government colleges. The upgrade will cover four core science subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology. According to sources, the initiative will benefit aided colleges across 27 districts. Cuttack district will have the highest number of participating institutions, with 13 colleges, followed by Ganjam, with 12. Both Puri and Mayurbhanj districts have 11 colleges each, while Khurda district accounts for 10 institutions.
Modern laboratory equipment is crucial for maintaining educational standards and preparing students for future careers in science and technology. This upgrade potentially impacts thousands of science students across Odisha,” said a higher education department official.
A funding gap for lab modernisation has persisted since the 2022-23 academic year. In Jan, the higher education department instructed college principals to submit detailed requirements for laboratory equipment.
The funding shortfall particularly affected final-year students, who require advanced laboratory exposure for their practical examinations and research projects. The new initiative is expected to bridge this gap and align laboratory facilities with current educational standards, said a college principal.