The Hindu Business Line : Karnataka Cabinet approves Azim Premji university

Plans ahead
The university will be set up under an act of the Karnataka legislature
The university will be self-financed, with no financial grant or assistance from the State Government
The Cabinet also approved the setting up of an engineering college at Karwar and 22 polytechnics

Our Bureau

Bangalore, June 18 The State Cabinet has accorded in-principle approval to the Azim Premji Foundation to set up the first private university in the State.

The university will be set up under an act of the Karnataka legislature.

Addressing newspersons after a Cabinet meeting held here on Thursday, Mr Aravind Limbavali, Minister for Higher Education, and Mr Suresh Kumar, Minister for Urban Development and Law, said that a Bill will be placed before the coming session of the legislature for approval.

Mr Limbavali and Mr Suresh Kumar said the promoters of the university have to deposit a sum of Rs 25 crore to the Government as guarantee money. The University will be self-financed, with no financial grant or assistance from the State Government.

Implying that reservations could apply to this university, a note issued during the meeting said that while it would be “open to all classes, castes and gender, the Government of Karnataka can make special provisions”.

The Board of Governors will have two Secretaries holding the charge of the education departments, while the rest will be from outside the Government.

The board will appoint auditors, lay down policies, review decisions of the university, approve the budget and decide, if necessary, on the winding up of the university.

The Government reserves the right to intervene in the event of mismanagement, mal-administration and indiscipline, the note, explaining some of the clauses in the proposed Bill, said.

The Governor of the State will be a visitor of the university.

He can seek any information and clarifications and confer degrees and the minister for higher education will be pro-visitor (pro-chancellor).

The Wipro Chairman, Mr Azim Premji, who has been extending support to the Government in improving educational facilities in several districts of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region over the past decade, had approached the Chief Minister, Mr B.S.Yeddyurappa, and Mr Limbavali to set up a private university.

The expected cost is Rs 200 crore, with a focus on educationists and teaching professionals attached to Wipro. There are several deemed universities in Karnataka, which impart medical and technical education.

Engg college at Karwar

Mr Limbavali said the Cabinet also approved an engineering college at Karwar and 22 polytechnics to be set up in the Government sector in various tier-III cities of the State. These would start functioning right away and the admissions will be through the CET. The Government has received a letter of intent from the AICTE to start these technical institutions.

Polytechnics

The polytechnics would come into being in Mudhol, Karatagi, Kalage, Mundgod, Hosadurga, KGF, Harihara, Hubli, Hoovinahadagali, Harappanahalli, Kudligi, Bankapura, Deodurga, Hiriyur, Aurad, Surapura, Athani, Teradal, Siddapura, Jalakhi, Immadihalli and Chennasanda, Mr Suresh Kumar said.

The meeting approved awarding of solid waste management and power generation project to a private firm on 25 acres on the city outskirts. Organic Wastes India Ltd will put up a power plant to generate 7.5 MW of energy using waste and purchase garbage from the City Corporation, he said.

The Cabinet also approved 10 per cent salary hike to 1945 non-official staff of the Mysore Paper mills, which would cost Rs 44 lakh additional expenditure a month to the company.

An underground drainage project in Ullal involving Rs 67.51 crore expenditure has been approved, besides construction of six km long six lane road between Sunkadatte to Nice Road on Magadi road to decongest the traffic density, he said.

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