It may be set up on the PG campus of University of Mysore in the district
Chamarajnagar, one of the backward districts in the State, may get a university of its own as the State government has constituted an expert committee to look into the possibility of establishing a full-fledged university on the PG campus of University of Mysore (UoM) in the district.
Chamarajanagar district currently comes under the jurisdiction of University of Mysore and the PG campus is spread over 55 acres. The first grade colleges – government and private – are affiliated to the UoM.
Vice-Chancellor G. Hemantha Kumar, who heads the committee, told The Hindu that he had received the government order for studying the feasibility of setting up a university and added that he and the members would soon be starting the work.
“The committee will be visiting the PG campus soon for holding meetings and we hope to come up with our observations and findings in the next 15 to 20 days,” he said.
The committee consists of V.G. Talawar, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore (member); Kemparaj, Vice-Chancellor, Bangalore North University (member); and Gopalakrishna Joshi, Executive Director, Karnataka State Higher Education Council, Bengaluru (convener).
As many as 900 students are part of the Chamarajnagar PG campus. Around 10 PG courses are run at the centre. “We have already sought 20 faculty members.Every year, many meritorious students pass out from the campus and about 24 students have bagged gold medals, which will be presented during the ensuing convocation of UoM,” said Prof. Kumar.
Barring UoM, most State universities have less than two districts under their jurisdiction following the establishment of new State universities, he said. The districts of Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Hassan come under the UoM. Even Hassan and Mandya have well-established PG campuses.
“The second wave of the pandemic had delayed our work though the order was issued in March this year itself. The committee shall complete its responsibility at the earliest,” Prof. Kumar said.
Being a backward area, Chamarajanagar district may be considered for special grants in case the government considers establishing the university based on the outcome of the expert committee report.
Sources said the purpose of establishing a new university will serve only when it gets all facilities, including teaching staff and infrastructure, essential for running a centre of higher learning.
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