RUSA proposes only 200 colleges under one varsity

* The proposal is likely to pave way for creation of new universities through division of existing ones like RTMNU and SGB Amravati University

* RTMNU has over 200 colleges affiliated to it from Nagpur city alone

By Kartik Lokhande

Soon, Nagpur city may have its own university. For, the city has more than 200 colleges affiliated to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU). The reason behind coming to the conclusion about city having its own university is the latest move of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), which has  proposed to put a ceiling of maximum number of colleges to be affiliated to any university at 200!

The proposal has been submitted following several State Universities having a large number of colleges affiliated to a single university. RUSA has cited examples of Osmania University (901 colleges affiliated to it), University of Pune (811 colleges), RTMNU (800 colleges), and Rajasthan as well as Mumbai University having 735 and 711 colleges respectively attached to them. At national level, the average number of affiliated colleges per university is 300.

“This phenomenon negatively affects the academic quality of the University. It is imperative that States create more universities so that affiliation does not result in large number of colleges being tied academically to one university,” RUSA stated in the proposal. It may be mentioned here that RUSA is a new centrally-sponsored flagship scheme of the Central Government. It is aimed at providing ‘strategic funding’ to State-run higher and technical institutions. The scheme involves funding of Rs 1 lakh crore at national level. Under the scheme, the States are expected to develop comprehensive higher education plans that ‘utilise an inter-connected strategy to address issues of expansion, equity and excellence together’.

Central funding will be linked to academic, administrative and financial reforms of state higher education. When implemented, the scheme is expected to result in setting up and upgradation of new colleges and universities. The scheme is likely to facilitate increased number of students from secondary to higher education levels.

If the proposal is accepted by the Government and implemented in letter and spirit, RTMNU will have to be split into some more universities. In the recent past, Gondwana University for Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts was carved out of RTMNU. When Gondwana University was carved out of RTMNU, it had 165 colleges affiliated to it. However, considering that many students’ first year education had started with RTMNU, it was decided that RTMNU would provide ‘dual affiliation’ to colleges under Gondwana University for some time. Accordingly, RTMNU has 827 colleges affiliated to it. Of these, Nagpur city alone has over 200 colleges affiliated to RTMNU. Nagpur Rural has more than 130 colleges affiliated to RTMNU. Thus, if RUSA proposal is accepted, Nagpur city will have its own university in future.

As far as Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University (SGBAU) is concerned, it has Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Yavatmal, and Washim districts under its jurisdiction. Currently, as per SGBAU website, 403 colleges are affiliated to it. However, no district has more than 200 affiliated colleges. Still, considering RUSA proposal, SGBAU also is likely to be divided into two universities in future.

The university/district-wise number of affiliated colleges in Vidarbha

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University/District          Affiliated Colleges

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RTMNU

Nagpur city                     238

Nagpur Rural                  130

Bhandara                         89

Gondia                            49

Chandrapur                    108

Gadchiroli                        57

Wardha                            93

SGBAU

Amravati                       128

Akola                              62

Buldhana                        80

Yavatmal                        95

Washim                          38

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(Published in The Hitavada CityLine on August 17, 2013)

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