Tribal University Bill introduced by Arjun Singh in Rajya Sabha
August 24th, 2007
Following are excerpts from a report in Hindu.
The Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Bill to set up a tribal university in Madhya Pradesh was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday by Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh.
To be set up an estimated cost of Rs. 60 crore during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, the university will have its headquarters in Amarkantak and will be a Central university.
Though headquartered in Amarkantak, it will have a number of regional centres and campuses in the tribal areas, particularly in the Indian heartland.
According to the ‘Statement of Objects and Reasons’ attached to the Bill, Amarkantak was chosen because there was no Central university specifically catering to the population in the tribal concentrated areas of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. This is in contrast to the other area of high tribal concentration — the North-East .
While the proposed university is aimed at facilitating and promoting avenues of higher education and research facilities for the tribal population of the country, it will take in students from other sections of society also.
… Besides providing access to higher education to the tribals of Central India in particular, it will promote research in tribal art, culture, tradition, language, medicinal systems, customs, and forest-based economic activities.
My observations: The budget sounds too low. With that fixed some of the regional centers and campuses should be in Orissa.
Entry Filed under: HRD of Tribals and/or Tribal areas,Odisha, others and the center
2 Writeup
1. nagtilak sanjay shivaji | September 5th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
it is the unique example in the history of our country. it will be benificial for the overall development of tribals.information about the establishment of university should be spread up to the village level.students should be from lower strata. i am ready to serve any time.
all the best!
2. Rajesh Toppo | September 11th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Orissa has been Robbed of it’s Dream !!!!!
The iniciative of UPA headed by Arjun Singh is headed in the wrong direction.
The effort will only meet the needs partially as the main block of Tribal Students in Orissa will find it difficult to access the University situated in Madhya Pradesh.
In the light of the fact that Orissa in it’s 60 years of India’s Independence could not garner a Central University speaks volumes of it’s Leadership and total lack of Vision.
The Goverment should make every effort to make Education Online and Decent access to it remotely.