Mumbai varsity proposes 45 new colleges: 6 for SoBo, 5 in suburbs

These institutes include two night, two women-only, three law and two fine arts colleges

After no new college was allowed to come up in the state this academic year, the University of Mumbai (MU) is hoping to start 11 new colleges in the city and suburbs in the next two years.

While the new colleges will make higher education more accessible, especially in remote and rural areas, they will also add to the administrative burden of the university, which already has over 750 affiliated colleges. (HT file)

In its annual perspective plan, the university has proposed 45 new colleges, including six in the city and five in the suburbs. These institutes include two night, two women-only, three law and two fine arts colleges.

The university has submitted its perspective plan — the document that outlines the future growth of a university including prospective colleges for different regions under varsity's jurisdiction - to the state government. The state has directed all the public universities in the state to issue advertisement asking for proposals for new colleges from educational organisations in accordance with their respective plans. Meanwhile, the plans are being approved by Maharashtra Authority for Higher Education (MAHED) headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The new colleges won't be able to begin classes until 2019-20. “The organisations interested in setting up colleges will be issued letters of intent (LoIs) in January. These organisations will have until next year to come up with the infrastructure and staff for these colleges,” said an official from state higher and technical education department.

While the new colleges will make higher education more accessible, especially in remote and rural areas, they will also add to the administrative burden of the university, which already has over 750 affiliated colleges.

On the other hand, the government official said that the state is keen on approving colleges that offer professional or skill-based courses only. “We don’t want any more of these shops of unemployment,” he said, referring to colleges that offer traditional arts, science, and commerce streams.