New Delhi: Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Arjun Singh on Wednesday said despite higher allocation for education, states were not cooperating with the centre in implementing various education schemes.

"There is an unprecedented nine-fold increase in outlays for higher and technical education in the ongoing Eleventh Plan (2007-12)," Singh said inaugurating a two-day state ministers conference on higher and technical education here on Wednesday.

"The Plan can be fruitful only when it is carried out by close cooperation of all the states," he added.

The two-day conference will discuss the scheme to open 373 degree colleges and give incentives to state governments to set up these institutions and prepare new educational schemes.

Lauding the efforts of Prime Minister Manomohan Singh for his contribution to the education sector, the HRD minister said there is an unprecedented nine-fold increase in outlays for higher and technical education during the Eleventh Plan.

"This higher allocation would result in the creation of 30 central universities, including 14 new world class universities, eight new IITs, seven new IIMs, five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology, 1,000 new polytechnics and scores of other educational institutions," he said.

"Some of these institutions will commence sessions in the ongoing academic year and will run through temporary campuses."

The minister said the Government would introduce reforms in examinations and teaching methods, and introduce semester system, grading, credit transfer, and regular updating of curricula and syllabi.

"We are also finalising a Central Sector Scheme which will offer educational loans to students at a very low interest," he added.

Singh said his ministry would soon launch a National Education Mission under which broadband connectivity would be provided in all higher education institutions. IANS