UP govt to take charge: 71 new degree colleges to operate without private sector involvement

The state government of Uttar Pradesh has altered its earlier plan to run the 71 new government degree colleges, currently under construction in various districts, under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Instead, the government will now manage these colleges.

Initially, these colleges, which are being built following chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s announcements, were to be operated with private sector assistance under the PPP model. The state universities involved had been directed to collaborate with private entities to run the institutions. However, officials from the state’s higher education department have confirmed that the government has now decided to take full responsibility for managing the colleges once they are completed.

Special secretary for higher education, Girijesh Kumar Tyagi, has requested a proposal for the creation of various posts in these 71 government degree colleges. In a letter sent to the director of higher education on August 27, Tyagi outlined the need for staffing plans.

“A proposal has been sought for the creation of different posts in the 71 colleges under construction as part of the chief minister’s announcements. These will now operate as government degree colleges,” said Amit Bhardwaj, director of higher education, Uttar Pradesh.

According to the plan, 1,062 positions for assistant professors will be created in these 71 colleges. The recruitment proposal includes seven posts for the arts faculty, five for the science faculty, two for the commerce faculty, and one for a lecturer (library). Additionally, the plan calls for the recruitment of five laboratory assistants for each college, totaling 355 posts, and two junior assistant positions for each, amounting to 142 posts.

Further, 71 positions for principals, 71 for head assistants, and 71 for senior assistants will be filled through promotions. Meanwhile, five posts each for laboratory attendants, office attendants, orderlies, library attendants, sweepers, and chowkidars, totaling 710 positions, will be filled through outsourcing.

Among the colleges under construction, two are located in Prayagraj – one women’s college in Parasinpur Sikandra, Phulpur development block, and another in Meja development block. Additionally, one college is under construction in Sirathu tehsil of Kaushambi district. Nine colleges each are being built in Agra and Jhansi districts, 12 in Lucknow, 13 in Bareilly, 10 in Meerut, and four in Gorakhpur district.