India's Human Resource Development Ministry plans to set up 14 "innovation universities" from 2010 to build "disciplinary focuses" and push research and development, reports Business Standard. Minister Kapil Sibal also said last week that India had set a target of at least 30% of school leavers making it to college by 2020.

The new universities will concentrate on innovation and research in different subjects, with health, environment and new technologies for power plants being areas identified so far. "We will also promote contract and auction research to raise money," Sibal said. "We are looking at collaboration with private partners so that initial funds for infrastructure development can be taken care of. We will start a university-industry congress that will celebrate national awards, among other things.

"The move should also boost PhDs in the country. Currently, while India awards around 8,000 PhD degrees every year, China gives around 50,000. This divide needs to be bridged," Sibal said.
Full report on the Business Standard site

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