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Education Minister Ashish Sood reviews infrastructure plans for 12 fully funded Delhi Government colleges; sports grants of up to ₹5 lakh per college remain under consideration.
New Delhi, October 17, 2026: The Delhi Government reviewed infrastructure development, hostel construction, sports facilities and digital administration at its 12 fully funded colleges during a high-level meeting held at the Delhi Secretariat on October 14, 2026.
Education Minister Shri Ashish Sood chaired the meeting with principals and representatives of the colleges. Discussions focused on budget utilisation, revalidation of funds, infrastructure expansion and plans to accommodate future increases in student enrolment.
Sports Grants of ₹5 Lakh per College Under Consideration
The Education Minister noted that a proposal to increase sports grants from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh per college was under consideration. The proposed enhancement aims to support sporting activities and improve opportunities for students.
The meeting also highlighted the low utilisation of funds allocated to colleges. The Minister called for faster action on budget revalidation and the submission of utilisation certificates by the institutions.
To improve sports coaching standards, the possibility of engaging private sports academies was also discussed. Shri Ashish Sood stated that the Education Department was examining the engagement of private academies in schools and that the same approach could be implemented in the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) and the Directorate of Training and Technical Education (TTE) once the relevant issues were finalised.
College Buildings and Hostels to Follow Master Plan 2041
The meeting reviewed proposals for constructing new college buildings and hostels within existing campus premises.
The Minister observed that older proposals based on Master Plan 2021 were no longer suitable for the current planning exercise. He directed colleges to prepare their building plans in accordance with Master Plan 2041 and the applicable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) provisions.
Colleges were also instructed to develop long-term infrastructure plans based on projected student intake over the next 20 years. The exercise is intended to help institutions plan building capacity and hostel facilities in line with future requirements.
Pilot Project for an Integrated Digital Platform
The Delhi Government also announced a pilot project for an integrated digital platform in a selected group of colleges.
According to the announcement, briefing documents were distributed to principals to obtain their feedback on the proposed initiative. The pilot forms part of the broader discussion on digital and administrative upgrades across the institutions.
Further details about the participating colleges, implementation schedule and platform features were not specified in the announcement.
Focus on Budget Utilisation and Long-Term Planning
The meeting brought together financial and infrastructure priorities, including timely budget revalidation, improved utilisation of allocated funds, sports facility development and updated building proposals.
The proposed sports grant enhancement and the integrated digital platform remain under consideration or at the pilot stage, while colleges have been directed to align their infrastructure planning with Master Plan 2041 and a 20-year student intake outlook.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When was the meeting on Delhi Government college development held?
The meeting was held on October 14, 2026, at the Delhi Secretariat.
2. Who chaired the meeting?
Delhi Education Minister Shri Ashish Sood chaired the meeting with principals and representatives of 12 fully funded Delhi Government colleges.
3. Are sports grants being increased to ₹5 lakh per college?
The proposal to increase sports grants from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh per college was under consideration. The increase had not been confirmed in the supplied announcement.
4. What directions were issued regarding college construction?
Colleges were directed to prepare building plans according to Master Plan 2041 and the applicable FAR provisions, replacing outdated proposals based on Master Plan 2021.
5. What is the long-term infrastructure planning target?
Colleges were asked to plan building and hostel expansion with a vision covering the next 20 years of student intake.
6. What is the Campus Grid pilot project?
The announcement described a pilot project for an integrated digital platform to be launched in selected colleges. Further technical details and the implementation timeline were not provided.
7. What financial actions were expected from colleges?
Colleges were directed to expedite budget revalidation and submit utilisation certificates, following concerns about low utilisation of allocated funds.
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