Date:21/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/21/stories/2008072151260800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Towards providing access to higher education

Staff Reporter

Kakinada: India has no dearth of human resources but only 9 per cent of its youth beyond Class 12 have access to higher education.

It is expected to reach 15 per cent by 2015 if at least some recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) are implemented in letter and spirit.

Setting up of new universities fits in this context as an important prescription of the NKC that is aimed at providing access to quality higher education to more number of youth. Accordingly, the State government has given permission for establishing six universities at Karimnagar, Kurnool, Nellore, Srikakulam, Machilipatnam and Mahabubnagar. The government will issue orders appointing vice-chancellors for these new institutions, which cater to the higher education needs of semi-urban and rural areas, in a few days, according to Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) Secretary M.D. Christopher. He was speaking to media persons on Saturday on the sidelines of the Career Awareness and Recruitment Drive (CARD) held on the JNTU campus in Kakinada. He said NKC suggested India should have 1,500 universities by 2015.