Maharashtra to get new skill development university, 6 centres of excellence

In a bid to increase skilled manpower and increase employment opportunities in the state, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday approved a proposal to set up its first public skill development university and six centres of excellence (CoE) that would offer degree and post-graduate courses

In a bid to increase skilled manpower and increase employment opportunities in the state, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday approved a proposal to set up its first public skill development university and six centres of excellence (CoE) that would offer degree and post-graduate courses. The government will introduce a bill in this regard in the budget session of the state legislature which will start on March 1.

(Representational image) The proposed university will provide courses keeping in mind the requirement of the day and the future. (HT Photo)

Maharashtra currently has one private skill development university in Pune, while there are seven other such universities across the country, including three private ones.

According to skill development minister Nawab Malik, currently, the skill development courses are largely limited to diploma courses. He added that the proposed university will provide courses keeping in mind the requirement of the day and the future.

“There will be degree and post-graduate courses offered through the university. Besides that, different colleges will be allowed to offer skill development courses. Courses will be designed keeping in mind the requirement of the industries so that more and more people get trained and get jobs,” said Malik.

“We will also have six CoEs, which will be sub-centres of the university. Campus training and the courses will be conducted at these sub-centres,” he added. The CoE will be set up in each of the six revenue divisions of the state.

“The university will receive annual funding of ₹50 crore from the government for 10 years, following which it will become a self-sustaining university,” Malik said.

Meanwhile, the state is still deliberating where to set up the university. Some of the short-listed locations include Mumbai, Thane and Pune. “We are still discussing where to set up the university; whether to do it in Mumbai, Thane or Pune or around the [Mumbai-Nagpur] Samruddhi Mahamarg. We intend to set it up near a city so that it is easier for faculty and students, and so that they get all the facilities,” Malik said.