Mahararshtra plans to expand varsity campuses

Updated on: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A committee set up by Maharashtra Government to improve working of the public universities in the state has recommended expansion and development of campuses at district places which is likely to cost nearly Rs 4000 crore to the state exchequer.

It is necessary to develop 25 new university campuses in districts where public university campuses do not exist at present. The period of expansion should be between 5-10 years and the exercise may start with the three big universities, namely Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, the committee headed by Prof Ram Takwale has said.

The panel has also recommended sub-pision of Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur universities into main campus and sub-centres/campuses at suburbs and district places.

A similar proposal prepared by the state Higher and Technical Education department was announced in the Legislature last year. However, there has been no headway in the matter.

According to the report, the main university campus will function with all the central bodies and authorities for promotion, coordination and quality assurance of all the campuses of the university and its affiliated colleges.

The basis of sub-pision will not be on numbers but the need of quality and relevance of higher education both for PG and UG courses and strongly linked with socio-economic development of the district/region.

The committee has also recommended forming sub-campuses at the undeveloped district places and create campus facilities for quality education and development.

While selecting campus place for a new university center, linkages with resources required for its creation and development as well as industry nearness may also be taken into consideration, besides the availability of large campus area for development, the report said.

The university will also follow a policy of creating large campuses with up-to-date research, PG and UG facilities.

Main university carries all the authority and sub-campuses will have delegated autonomy with authorities for efficient functioning and raising quality and relevance of higher education in their learning, developing and social transformation processes, it said.

The district campus of the university should be created in each affiliating district of affiliating university and function as an autonomous unit of the concerned university successful with quality and excellence achievements.

The report further suggests creation of district-wise university campuses and making all affiliating colleges autonomous with a quest for raising their autonomy and self-governance and achieving higher performance excellence.

Every university campus, existing and new, should have about 500-1000 highly qualified and active research teachers in their areas of studies and the total number of students should be around 5000-10000 on the campus. They should carry out UG, PG studies and research and development.

Instead of a new university for special purpose and special region, we may start with the existing well established autonomous university campuses to promote higher education, the report added.

Mahararshtra plans to expand varsity campuses

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