Centre will setup at least one university in every State: Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday said that the Centre will setup at least one university in every State.

New Delhi, June 1 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday said that the Centre will setup at least one university in every State.

At present, 16 States do not have a central university and 350 districts do not have degree colleges.

Chairing a meeting to review the status of higher education in the country, Dr. Singh said that the Centre will assist State Governments to ensure that there is at least one degree college in every district.

Dr. Singh directed the University Grants Commission and the Planning Commission to jointly prepare a strategy to address the challenge of increasing enrolment in colleges.

He also asked the UGC and the Planning Commission to improve access to higher education and improve their quality.

He said that each central university should become a symbol of excellence, a model of efficiency and an example in terms of academic standards and university governance for other state universities to emulate.

Dr. Singh reiterated his commitment to offer scholarships to encourage enrolments and increase the gross enrolment rate at the college level.

There are presently 20 central universities in the country.

ANI