Wait for world-class varsity continues

COIMBATOR: Although Coimbatore is considered to be a major educational hub in the South, it still lacks a world class university. In 2008, although the then union minister for human resources, Arjun Singh, had promised the set up of such an institution with central government funds, the files have been gathering dust in the HRD ministry.
The university was to come up on a 500-acre campus with an initial investment of Rs3000cr.However, five years later, the promises made still remain only on paper. But with the union minister of state for HRD, Shashi Tharoor visiting the city on Friday to address students of CMS College of Arts and Science and Karunya University, there is some hope for renewal of the project.
"We would be grateful to Tharoor if he can speed up efforts to establish the university. Last May, HRD (higher education) minister, D Purandeswari made promises in the Lok Sabha to have the university established soon by enacting legislation in Parliament. But nothing has happened since then,'' says P R Natarajan, MP. World class universities had been promised in 13 other centres in the country.
Many feel that the city has several factors conducive for establishing a central university. Be it climate or better connectivity or even its proximity to other education hubs including Bangalore, Chennai and Kochi; Coimbatore is comfortably placed to attract more students. "Presently, Coimbatore has two universities, four deemed universities, 70 engineering colleges, 30 arts and science colleges and many research institutions; it is considered the education hub in Tamil Nadu but the city lacks any central university or institution,'' says C Pichandy, state vice president of Association of University Teachers (AUT). "The city urgently needs a university that deals exclusively with inter-disciplinary research,'' he added.
Meanwhile, district secretary of MDMK, V Eswaran, who initiated several campaigns demanding a central university, says that the central government has neglected the city by not setting up a promised university. "Lack of connectivity hindered the growth of a central university at Thiruvarur. Coimbatore is known for its agriculture and industry. Every walk of life would be benefitted if the global university gets established,'' he said.
"The government has established centrally funded universities in other cities, so why not in Coimbatore,'' asks Natarajan.
"If the government decides, it would not be a problem to acquire 500-acres and invest Rs3,000cr to set up the institution. Private institutions, however good they are, cannot be recognised on a par with IITs and IIMs,'' says S Sivasubramanian, former vice chancellor of Bharathiar University.