New Delhi, Jan 11 : The universities must make engineering colleges autonomous to boost research in the field, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said Monday.

"The number of students doing research is far below than the national requirement. The universities must free engineering colleges from the affiliation process," Sibal said after releasing a book 'Engineering Education in India' at the Observer Research Foundation here.

Sibal said less than one percent of our engineering students were doing research in the field.

"Take for example, out of one million of such students in the US, 4,700 are doing research. Whereas in India, the figure is 156. Here we are falling short of the national requirement," he added.

"At least 10 percent of our engineering students should do research and reforms in education are essential," he said.

India produces nearly 260,000 engineering graduates every year. (IANS)