Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 15 (TIWN) Karnataka Minister for Higher Education and IT/BT C.N. Ashwath Narayan on Wednesday said universities will be set up expeditiously in the districts where there is no varsity.

The Minister also said that University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will be upgraded on par with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).  ''Universities with vast campuses are becoming irrelevant nowadays. Modern technology has enabled the setting up of universities which are compact. Keeping this in mind, new universities which will be set up in the districts, and will be made to function effectively with the number of staff not exceeding 25, including Vice-Chancellor,'' Narayan said.  UVCE in Bengaluru will be developed in line with IIT-Mumbai, and a plan by having a 10 years time frame has been envisaged to make it a reality, he was quoted as saying at an event held at VTU here, by his office in a release.  The government will give priority to setting up compact universities in each district instead of setting up large universities, he added.  Further stating that VTU in Belagavi which is spread in 120 acres should also develop as an institution similar to IIT, the Minister said Prof Karisiddappa, Vice-Chancellor, has responded in the affirmative in this regard, to submit the action plan within a month.