State higher education ministers' meet tomorrow

Higher education ministers from the states are meeting here tomorrow to review the progress of a host of programmes, including the roll out of Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and mandatory accreditation of educational institutions.
Crucial on the agenda will be setting up of IIT, NIT, IIM and IIIT in Seemandhra, the land for which has to be allotted by the state government.
The meeting, to be chaired by HRD Minister Smriti Irani, assumes significance as it is being held for the first time after the NDA government came to power at the Centre last month.
The issue of accreditation of higher educational institutions would also be deliberated at length.

The UGC has decided that no higher educational institution or its faculties, schools, departments, centres or any other units therein, by whatever name called, shall be eligible for applying or receiving financial assistance from the Commission from April 1, 2015, under any of its schemes without having undergone assessment and accreditation on or before June 1 this year.