E-Paper
MES submits Pune’s first proposal for ‘Cluster University’
Maharashtra Education Society’s (MES) Garware College has submitted the first proposal for cluster university from Pune
PUNE: Along with the implementation of the New Educational Policy (NEP), the government is also taking the initiative to establish cluster universities in the state and the first proposal for a cluster university from Pune has been submitted by Maharashtra Education Society’s (MES’s) Garware College. In future, Garware College will be converted into a cluster university.
Babasaheb Shinde, chairman of the regulatory board of MES, said, “A proposal has been submitted to the state government to establish a cluster university by combining three educational institutions namely MES Garware College of Commerce, Abasaheb Garware College, and MES Institute of Management and Career Course (IMCC). It will be recognised as a cluster university only after fulfilling all the rules and legal procedures of the state government. However, the deposit amount of ₹5 crore provided for the establishment of a cluster university is an unnecessary burden on educational institutions. The government needs to reconsider this.”
Going forward, the number of cluster universities in the state is expected to increase. As it is, the number of private universities in the state is increasing rapidly and many renowned educational institutions in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad such as MIT, GH Raisoni JSPM and Allard University have received government recognition as private universities. Private universities have also started in other districts of Maharashtra. In addition, cluster universities are being established at different places in the state. Homi Bhabha State University, Hyderabad Sindh National Collegiate (HSNC) University, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil University Satara, and Warna University Kolhapur have been established as four cluster universities. Now, Garware College in Pune, Nagindas Khandwala in Mumbai, Government Science Institute in Nagpur, and Bajaj Institute in Wardha have submitted proposals to the state government for cluster universities.
The state government has proposed the concept of establishing a cluster university by combining government-aided colleges with unaided colleges. Higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil himself interacted with all educational institution operators in this regard a few months ago. Ever since, many renowned educational institutions have been coming forward for cluster universities. As per the proposals submitted to the government, the education department has started necessary action by visiting the concerned educational institutions. These universities will be approved after the cabinet approval and presentation of the bill in the session.
