M.M. Pallam Raju, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, has said that the Ministry was focussing on improving and standardising the quality of higher education in the 11th Plan period.
He was here on Saturday to inaugurate the new campus of the Central University of Karnataka on the outskirts of Kadaganchi village in Aland taluk in Gulbarga district.
Mr. Raju said centres of higher education should focus more on qualitative research and development. They should also strive for setting up linkages with industrial houses in the proximity and synchronise their research with the needs of the industries.
The Minister said the Central University of Karnataka should establish a tie-up with the Indian Institute of Technology in Hyderabad for inter-disciplinary activities including student and faculty exchange programmes. Mr. Raju said other areas of focus would be skill development and vocational education. U.R. Anantamurthy, Chancellor of the university; N. Dharam Singh, MP; R.V. Deshpande, Higher Education Minister; Basavaraj Patil Sedam, MP; and B.R. Patil, MLA; S.S. Murthy, Vice-Chancellor of the university; and M.N. Sudheendra Rao, pro-chancellor, were present.
