The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved proposals to set up three new private universities in the state, taking the total number of private universities to 56. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said the proposals have been approved under the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019, subject to the prescribed evaluation process. He added that the Cabinet has also approved the issuance of Letters of Proposal (LoP) and operational authorisation to the sponsoring institutions.
The minister said the move reflects the state government’s commitment to expanding access to quality higher education and creating more learning opportunities for students across Uttar Pradesh.
Three new universities approved
One of the newly approved universities will focus on agriculture education and research. It will be established by the Swami Brahmanand Saraswati Charitable Trust, Delhi, on 51 acres of land*at Gadanpur Ahar village in Bilhaur tehsil of Kanpur Nagar district.
Additionally, he also informed that an ordinance to amend the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act will be passed for the purpose, according to PTI.
The second university will be set up by the Indian Institute of Management and Engineering Society, Ghaziabad, on more than 26 acres of land at Dasna village in the Ghaziabad Development Authority area. The sponsoring society already runs medical and engineering colleges, and the new university is expected to expand higher education opportunities in the region.
The third university will be established by Anglo Sanskrit College, Fatehpur, on more than 20 acres of land in Fatehpur Dakshini. According to the minister, the institution meets the land requirement prescribed for private universities in urban areas.
Number of universities increases
The minister, as per PTI reports, claimed that the state has witnessed significant expansion in higher education since 2017. Further added that until 2017, there were only 14 state universities in the state, while 8 new state universities have been established over time under the current government. The number of private universities was 27 in 2017; with the addition of 3 new private universities, the count has risen to 56.
According to the minister, all three proposed universities meet the required guidelines and are expected to offer quality higher education, research facilities and employment-oriented courses, creating more opportunities for students across the state.
