Lok Sabha Question No. 1181 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Setting Up of New Central Universities
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Ajay Kumar Mandal, Locket Chatterjee, Sunil Kumar Pintu, Geeta Kora, Navneet Ravi Rana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1181 ANSWERED ON 11.12.2023

## Setting Up of New Central Universities

†1181. SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL: MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE: SHRI SUNIL KUMAR PINTU: SHRIMATI GEETA KORA: SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the  details  of  the  works  undertaken  for  setting  up  of  new  Central  Universities  in  West Bengal, Bihar particularly Sitamarhi and Bhagalpur Parliamentary Constituency and Maharashtra particularly  Amravati Parliamentary Constituency during the recent years, including the progress made in this regard;

(b) the details of the funds allocated, released and spent towards establishment of new Central Universities, State-wise and district-wise details thereof; and

(c) the  district-wise  details  of  the  amount/funds  released  and  spent  under  the  scheme  in Maharashtra particularly in Amravati Parliamentary Constituency?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) to (c): With a view to increase the access and improve the quality of higher education and to address  the  issue  of  regional  imbalance  in  the  country,  the  11 th five  Year  Plan  (2007-2012),  as approved  by  the  National  Development  Council  (NDC),  envisaged  setting  up  of  one  Central University each in States which did not have any Central Universities till then.

During 12 th Plan (2012-17) as approved by the NDC, the thrust was on consolidation of the higher education system. Expansion was to be mainly done by scaling up capacity of the existing institutions in place of setting up  new  institutions. Presently, there is  no  proposal  under consideration  of  this  Ministry  for  setting  up  of  a  new  Central  University  in  West  Bengal  or Maharashtra. However, the PM Package for Bihar, 2015 inter-alia provides for establishment of a new Central university near Bhagalpur at the historic site of Vikramshila.

Moreover, the Central Universities are envisaged to function more as pace setter institutions to  provide academic leadership to other institutions in the region. 'Education' being a concurrent subject, the State Governments are also taking various initiatives to provide greater access to higher education in their respective States.

Ministry  of  Education  allocates  Block  grant  to  the  UGC  under  the  Scheme  'Grants  to Central Universities' which in turn allocate funds to individuals Central Universities based on their requirement.  Details  of  funds  released  to  new  Central  Universities  in  last  three  years  are  given below:

| Sl. No.   | Name of        | Name of the University                                | In Rs Cr.   | In Rs Cr.   | In Rs Cr.   |
|-----------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|           | the State      |                                                       | 2020-21     | 2021-22     | 2022-23     |
| 1         | ANDHRA PRADESH | CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF ANDHRA PRADESH                  | 4.80        | 125.10      | 13.08       |
| 2         |                | CENTRAL TRIBAL UNIVERSITY OF ANDHRA PRADESH           | 3.20        | 13.37       | 9.00        |
| 3         |                | NATIONAL SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY                          | 0.00        | 54.61       | 76.94       |
| 4         | BIHAR          | MAHATMAGANDHI CENTRAL UNIVERSITY                      | 35.99       | 34.56       | 35.98       |
| 5         | DELHI          | SHRI LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI NATIONAL SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY | 0.00        | 63.86       | 70.64       |
| 6         |                | CENTRAL SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY                           | 0.00        | 225.04      | 309.77      |
| 7         | LADAKH         | CENTRAL SINDHU UNIVERSITY                             | 0.00        | 0.00        | 0.09        |
|           | TOTAL          | TOTAL                                                 | 43.99       | 516.53      | 515.49      |

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