PRAYAGRAJ, May 13 -- Uttar Pradesh is set to significantly strengthen its higher education infrastructure with the introduction of 29 new government degree colleges from the upcoming academic session starting July 1, officials said on Monday. The initiative is aimed at improving access to higher education and strengthening the state's academic network. Of the 29 colleges, 20 are being set up under the Prime Minister Jan Vikas Programme (PMJVK). The Directorate of Higher Education has already sent a proposal to the state government for the creation of the required teaching and non-teaching posts for these institutions, officials added. Initially, the government had considered running these colleges as government institutions, affiliated colleges under state universities, or through the public-private partnership (PPP) model. However, with proposals now submitted for both teaching and non-teaching appointments, it is now clear that all 20 institutions will operate as regular government degree colleges under the higher education department. The 20 PMJVK colleges include two institutions in Pratapgarh district - Government Degree College, Gabi Mahuawan, and Government Degree College, Sandwa Chandika. Apart from these, the state government is also preparing to operationalise nine more government degree colleges across different districts. Officials said there would be no hurdle in launching these institutions from July, as the required posts had already been created earlier. Last year, teaching activities could begin in only 46 of the 69 newly constructed government degree colleges. Among the remaining institutions, seven colleges proposed to be run as affiliated colleges could not start functioning after state universities declined to take responsibility for them. Two colleges - one at Rath in Hamirpur district and another at Jamalpur in Mirzapur district - also failed to commence academic activities last year due to incomplete construction work. Officials said the work is now nearing completion and both colleges are expected to begin functioning from July. Director of Higher Education BL Sharma confirmed that the proposal for the creation of posts in the 20 PMJVK colleges had already been sent to the government. He added that Uttar Pradesh currently has 216 operational government degree colleges. "Currently, the gross enrolment ratio in higher education in Uttar Pradesh is around 27%. The target is to raise it to 50% by 2035. The new colleges will help achieve this goal," said SK Pandey, Assistant Director, Higher Education....