Centre plans to open 6 central universities in ‘minority’ dominated areas

Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has proposed for setting up of six central universities at places pre-dominantly inhabited by the minority population. The government is planning opn universities in Murshidabad (West Bengal), Mallapuram (Kerala), Kishanganj (Bihar), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Srirangpatna (Karnataka) and Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh).

Recently, the expert committee of prominent educationists, headed by Professor S Thorat, former chairman, UGC, and presently the chairman of ICSSR, had rejected the proposal for setting up of minority universities citing constitutional limitations.

The committee at the same time has unanimously recommended setting up of universities in the areas predominantly inhabited by minority population so that more and more youths from minority communities can join the higher educational streams.

Following this, Ministry of Minority Affairs has taken up the matter with Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for a central legislation to establish these universities, reported.