16 new state universities approved

New Delhi, Dec 18 : The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry on Monday said it has approved setting up of 16 state universities so far under its Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

Half of universities so approved will be established through "clustering of colleges" and the other half "by way of upgradation of existing autonomous colleges", the Lok Sabha was told.

All varsities have been approved in Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Puducherry. 

During the Question Hour, Minister of State for HRD Satya Pal Singh said the Central Government has taken a policy decision not to convert state universities into central universities for reasons of legacy issues, adjustment of existing staff and disaffiliation of affiliated colleges.

"At present, no proposal to accord the status of central university to any state university is under consideration," he said. 

Launched in 2013, RUSA is a Centrally sponsored scheme that aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.