Lok Sabha passed the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, on December 7, 2023, through a voice vote. The legislation amends the Central Universities Act, 2009, aimed at establishing central universities dedicated to teaching and research across various states in India.
The Bill seeks to establish a tribal university, designed to provide higher education and research facilities primarily for the tribal population of India. The Bill seeks to establish a Central Tribal University in Telangana which will be named as ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’.
Responding to the parliamentary debate on the bill, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’ will incur an expenditure of approximately 900 crore rupees. He addressed concerns regarding the delay in the university’s establishment, attributing it to the time taken by the Telangana Government to identify a suitable location for the institution.
Minister Pradhan also highlighted significant growth in Ph.D. course registrations, with an 81% increase from 2014-15 to 2021-22, totaling over two lakh registrations. Notably, women’s enrollment in Ph.D. courses surged by 106% during the same period. Emphasizing the government’s commitment to filling vacancies in higher education institutes, he revealed that over 11 thousand posts out of 18 thousand vacant positions have been filled in the last two months. Additionally, he announced the government’s mandate for NAAC accreditations for all higher institutions.
During the discussion, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy underscored the need for quality education to enhance employability, while Congress leaders advocated for the filling of reserved vacancies for SCs and STs.
Shiv Sena’s Rahul Shewale expressed support for the bill, emphasizing its fulfillment of regional aspirations, and urged the government to establish a National Tribal University in Maharashtra.
Kodikunnil Suresh of Congress demanded the government to fill up the vacancies reserved for SCs and STs in higher education institutes and universities. Another party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of Congress said that education is the key determinant for the growth and development of tribal population. He sought to know from the government about the current gross enrolment ratio of tribals in the higher educations.
Syed imtiaz Jaleel of AIMIM said that it is a welcome move but expressed concern that none of the university features among the top 200 position at global level. Other members from the political parties including Jagdambika Pal of BJP, A M Arif of CPI(M) and K Ram Mohan Naidu of TDP participated in the discussion.
The passage of the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023, reflects a significant stride towards providing accessible and quality education for the tribal population in India.