HRD minister Smriti Irani has asked vice chancellors of central universities (CU) to encourage digital initiatives to facilitate higher education.

This includes free online courses to citizens under the Digital India initiative of SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds). This is set out to be carried through the MOOCs platform created by IIT Mumbai.

The direction came at the end of the two day meeting in Chandigarh chaired by Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani.

In other measure conceptualised at the two day meet, the Campus Connect Program has been launched to ensure Wi-fi-enabled higher educational institutions. All CUs have been asked to ensure that their campuses and constituent colleges become fully wi-fi enabled as soon as possible.

Additionally, the central universities have been asked to display on their website, within a period of one month, all relevant information such as profile of teachers, calendar of activity of university, academic calendar, names of members of all statutory bodies alongwith their tenure, research output, information on budget, vacancy, tenure of Registrar, Finance  Officer etc.

The universities have also been asked to actively participate in National E-Library project.

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