Srinagar: The State Administrative Council which met here today under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik decided to open 40 new degree colleges in a phased manner across the state, including the 26 degree colleges already sanctioned.

While acknowledging the need for opening up of more colleges in un-served areas to provide access to hitherto deprived sections of the society and increasing the enrolment at college level which is the need of the hour, the SAC decided to constitute a Committee under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary, Finance with Principal Secretary, Planning Development & Monitoring, Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education and Secretary, School Education as its members to finalize the phasing of sanctioned colleges, and examine the feasibility of likely locations for new colleges; keeping in view the prescribed norms besides factors like enrolment, student-teacher ratio, faculty deployment, geographical conditions and financial requirement.