New Delhi: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is planning to set up a research university to address the faculty shortages that India's leading engineering and technology institutes face.

CSIR Director general Samir Brahmachari said on Thursday the University Grants Commission (UGC) is evaluating the proposal.

"It's in the process," he said during a panel discussion on engineering education at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) here.

The leading scientist said India produces too few research scholars and by setting up a niche university, they will be able to produce quality faculty.

Since CSIR is a science innovation institution with laboratories across the country, it cannot award degrees but by setting up a varsity, it would ensure quality education and award degrees.

Suggesting an integrated approach to improve India's higher education standards, Brahmachari stressed on the need for reducing unemployability among engineering graduates.

V.S. Ramamurthy, chairman of Board of Directors of IIT Delhi, emphasised the need for creating employment opportunities for postgraduates and holders of doctorates.

"The problem in India is that students get only degrees and no skills," he remarked.

Delhi College of Engineering (DCE) Director P.B. Sharma said merely increasing colleges would not solve the problem of not-so-good engineering education.

Experts said that the need of the hour is creation of a National Faculty Programme to make available qualified and committed faculty.

All the experts at the panel discussion agreed that there was need to provide more autonomy to higher education institutions. They said too much government interference would be counter-productive for the higher education sector. IANS