New Delhi: The government has set in motion the process to select 20 institutes of eminence in the country, which it hopes will rise to international standards.

The government also proposes to provide complete independence to these institutes in operations like selection of courses, curriculum, faculty and other rules. As part of providing more independence to educational institutes, education sector regulators — the UGC and the AICTE — are also likely to be disbanded soon.

Sources stated that a three-member committee, with cabinet secretary, higher education secretary and the UGC chairman, will be set up to select about 5-6 people of eminence who will in turn finalise the list of 20 institutions. The committee would be selected from among academicians, subject experts, industrialists and other people of eminence.

There will be no ministry involvement and the empowered committee to have last word on the selection of these institutes, sources stated.