11th plan to focus on higher education: UGC Chairman

Puducherry, Mar 29 (UNI) University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Sukhadeo Thorat today said the 11th plan would mainly focus on expansion of higher education in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the expansion would be achieved by enhancing the enrollment of students.

Presently, student enrollment in the country was ten per cent, which was less than one per cent compared to the enrollment in 1950, he said.

''We are lagging behind the world average of 23 per cent and even 40 to 50 per cent in advanced countries,'' he added.

He said the number of educational institutions and universities would be increased along with enhancing the intake capacity in existing universities.

An amount of Rs 50 crore had been earmarked for setting up 16 central universities in the states where there was none, he said adding 370 colleges would be developed into model colleges with the Central and state contributions.

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