| New Delhi: An expert committee has suggested setting up of 'Model Colleges' in 374 educationally backward districts in the country at an outlay of Rs 2,992 crore, which will be fully funded by the Centre. Besides providing required land for setting up 'Model Colleges', the states would commit Rs 561 crore per annum as recurring expenditure towards salaries and maintenance, the Committee recommended in its report.
The Committee was set up by the University Grants Commission to prepare a Detailed Project Report following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement in his Independence Day speech in 2007 that the government would set up colleges in 370 districts where enrolment levels are low.
The Committee recommended establishment of these 'Model Colleges' as government supported 'Constituent Colleges' of the respective universities in the states. To identify the location of these colleges, the Committee has laid down certain guidelines, like it has to be located in an area of the district which has no college in a radius of 10 kilometers and should be in predominantly rural location with road accessibility.
A new college as an additional one in the vicinity should be permitted only if the existing college has more than 1,000 students or there is no separate college for women in the area of 10 kilometer radius, it said. (PTI) | 
Email Story
Write to the editor
Print Story