Universities for Research and Innovation Bill, 2012 tabled in parliament

Updated on: Thursday, May 24, 2012

The HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal tabled the Universities for Research and Innovation Bill, 2012 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to set up the universities both in the public as well as the private sectors.

Each university on research and innovation would provide for the knowledge and economic needs of the country by creating professionals, specialists, scientists and researchers and generate new knowledge to support the national innovation system.

According to the provisions of the Bill, each of these universities would offer exposure to an international classroom environment, with a minimum of 50 per cent of the students being Indian.

The hallmark of the legislation is that each university would focus on one area or problem of significance to India and build an eco-system of research and training around different related disciplines.

These universities would have autonomy in matters of academics, faculty, personnel and finances administration. The President would be the visitor of the publicly funded universities.

The Bill, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet early this month, does not specify the target of 14 such universities as was proposed earlier as it has been dropped on grounds of non-fasibility.

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