Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani will chair two-day brainstorming session in a Chandigarh retreat with Vice-Chancellors of 39 Central Universities on September 12 and 13, 2014, to discuss the new higher education vision plan. She has already had interactions with directors of IITs and IIMs in Goa last month.

Irani will take stock of university functions and then prepare a plan for greater synergy between school education and higher education. The A M Pathan Committee report, which had come up with a single legislation to govern all central universities, will be one of the key issues to be discussed. Currently, each central university is governed by its own Act passed by Parliament. The ministry will also impress VCs about the need to get accreditation from National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

High on priority list is the Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) programme, which is to be launched on September 25. Under SWAYAM scheme professors of IITs, IIMs and Central Universities will offer online courses for free.  However, a small fee will be charged from those who would be certificated for completion of the course.