While inaugurating Gnanayajna Fellowship Distribution and Electronic Certificate Service (Electronic Document Delivery) and Tracking System on the premises of Vishweshwaraiah Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, on December 15, Minister for Higher Education Dr C N Ashwathnarayan stated, "With the use of the latest technology universities will be in districts where there are no universities in the state. These universities will have a maximum 25 staff members including Vice-Chancellor."
The minister went on to state that campuses spread over hundreds of acres are now "irrelevant" because with the use of modern technology, it is possible to set them up in very little space as well. "Instead of launching big universities, the government has made it a priority to set-up universities in every district," he stated. The government also has plans to develop University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering in Bengaluru on the lines of IITs and to make this happen, a ten-year action plan has been developed. Even VTU will be developed in a similar fashion in the coming days.
The minister stated that, "The state government has also decided to provide global-level quality education in 17 government engineering colleges. This will help attract students towards state-run engineering colleges. I have also decided to give autonomy to these institutions and will also set up an administrative board."
The minister went on to award Gnanayajna Fellowship to 22 students. This is a Rs 25,000 monthly scholarship and the students selected for it are pursuing Civil, Mechanical, Electronic and Communication, Computer Science and other engineering courses.