Prez to host 40 central univ VCs tomorrow for conference

The one-day conference would also see the participation of Prime Minister Mamnohan Singh, Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister M M Pallam Raju and Ministers of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor and Jitin Prasada, Chairman of the National Innovation Council Sam Pitroda and Chairman and members of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

"The agenda of the conference includes steps required to improve the quality of education and faculty in central universities to bring it on par with the top universities of the world and steps needed to extend the reach of education through extension work in contiguous areas," a Rashtrapati Bhawan statement said.

The conference would also discuss "use of National Knowledge Network effectively in central universities and suggestions to improve the visitor-university interface within the existing statutory framework of each central university," it added.

The last such conference was held in 2003 when A P J Abdul Kalam was the President.

The country's President is the 'visitor' to these universities.