India to establish 278 new universities, 388 colleges

In a bid to boost its educational sector, India is planning to establish 278 new universities and 388 colleges. "We will be creating about 278 new universities and 388 new colleges. Some of these colleges will be motivated to become universities", Indias Higher Education Secretary Ashok Thakur said while addressing a conference in southern city of Bangalore. Later talking to media, Indian Human Resource Development Minister M M Raju said the country would be spending 225000 million Indian rupees on universities and colleges to improve their funding and level of level for higher education. India is the second largest country with estimated 25.9 million students studying in higher education sector. However, the quality of higher education sector is not of the higher standards since none of its universities could make up to the top-200 lists of the leading world university ranking surveys, compiled by Times Higher Education, Quacquarelli Symonds and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.