LS passes Bill for Central university in Andhra Pradesh

New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Friday passed a Bill to set up a central university and a central tribal university in Andhra Pradesh.

Moving the Central Universities (Amen-dment) Bill, 2019 for passage, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said government has alloted Rs 450 crore for the Central university and Rs 420 crore for the central tribal unversity.

Currently these two universities are functioning in temporary facilities in Anantpur and Vijayana-garam respectively.

Stating that at present the education department has a budget of Rs 1.25 lakh crore, the HRD minister said the government is moving at a fast pace in the area of education.

It has put the education sector under focus to ensure all round development, he said.

To a query, Mr Pokhriyal said vacant posts in all central education institutions will be filled up in the next few months.

According to the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the two universities will increase access and quality of higher education and also promote avenues of higher education for the people of the state.

The Tribal University will provide instructional and research facilities in tribal art, culture and customs and advancement in technology to the tribal population of India.

At present, there is no central university in Andhra Pradesh while other states, except Goa, have one or more such institution. Setting up a Central university and a Central tribal university in Andhra is obligatory under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 for creation of Telangana.

Participating in the discussion, Congress MP K. Suresh said that the bill has not mentioned about detailed funding mechanism and funding of universities have remained an issue in the country.

There is also no mention about curriculum and administration of these two universities in the bill, he said.