Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

Government to set up one Central University in each state

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh chaired a meeting to review the state of higher education in India and address the challenge of increasing enrolment while improving access to and quality of higher education in India. The Prime Minister directed the University Grants Commission and the Planning Commission to jointly prepare a strategy for this. The Prime Minister also declared that the Government of India will setup at least one Central University in every State and assist State Government to ensure that there is at least one degree college in every district. There are presently 20 Central Universities in the country, while 16 States do not have a Central University. The Prime Minister 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. 350 districts where enrolment is below national average will be brought upto national average. The Prime Minister also reiterated his commitment to offer more scholarships to increase the gross enrollment rate at the college level.