India, July 9 -- The Union human resource development (HRD) ministry plans to set up 8,000 hostels across the country for students from the scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other weaker sections to improve their access to higher education, according to a senior official.

It also plans to provide scholarships to needy students to meet their hostel expenses under the ministry's five-year vision plan - Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP).

The hostels would provide quality accommodation for 1.6 million students with no access to higher education institutions in their areas of residence to help them continue their studies, according to the official.

"Traditionally, there are many among the weaker se...