A committee set up by Maharashtra government to improve working of the public universities in the State has recommended expansion and development of campuses at district places which is likely to cost nearly Rs 4,000 crore to the State exchequer.
It is necessary to develop 25 new university campuses in districts where public university campuses do not exist at present. The period of expansion should be between 5-10 years and the exercise may start with the three big universities, namely Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, the committee headed by Prof Ram Takwale has said.
Division mooted
The panel has also recommended division of Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur universities into main campus and sub-centres/campuses at suburbs and district places.
A similar proposal prepared by the State Higher and Technical Education department was announced in the Legislature last year. However, there has been no headway in the matter.
According to the report, the main university campus will function with all the central bodies and authorities for promotion, coordination and quality assurance of all the campuses of the university and its affiliated colleges.
The basis of division will not be on numbers but the need for quality and relevance of higher education both for PG and UG courses and strongly linked with socio-economic development of the district/region.
The committee has also recommended forming sub-campuses at the undeveloped district places and create campus facilities for quality education and development.