Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai has directed the concerned officials to constitute a task force so that seven government engineering colleges in the state of Karnataka can be upgraded on par with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Bommai, during a review meeting on Thursday, May 5, said the task force will have representation from NITs, IITs and other education experts and will be constituted within two days.

The seven colleges selected are in Kalaburagi, Haveri, Karwar, KR Pete, Kodagu, Ramanagara, and Bengaluru.

"The colleges have to be developed on par with IIT by next year. These institutes should also give priority to research and development," he added.

Meanwhile, the State Government on Thursday approved the construction of Anubhava Mantapa at a cost of Rs 532 crore. The CM instructed the officials to complete the work on Anubhava Mantapa (forum formed by Basaveshwara, 12th-century social reformer) at Basavakalyan in Bidar within three years.

The chief minister also instructed officials to construct 6,500 classrooms at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore this academic year.