Maha proposes 3 ‘cluster universities’ in Mumbai

Maharashtra government has proposed Rashtriya Uchchatar Shikshan Abhiyan (RUSA), a funding agency under Central government, to create three ‘cluster universities’ in Mumbai. The proposal was made at a recent meeting of the state RUSA council, headed by education minister Vinod Tawde.

The first cluster will comprise KC College, HR College and Bombay Teachers’ Training College in Colaba. The second cluster will have three colleges run by Somaiya Vidyavihar Trust in Vidyavihar and the third cluster will consist of Elphinstone College, Institute of Science, Sydenham College and State Training College in south Mumbai.

If the proposal is approved, these institutes will get the autonomy of introducing their own inter-disciplinary curriculum and have their own examinations.

“These cluster universities will improve education quality and allow students to avail choice-based credit system. Students will have better choices and they will be able to choose subjects,” said Tawde.

Though the idea of cluster colleges, aimed at reducing the burden on state’s public universities, was first mooted in 2015, it could not be implemented back then. The state is now planning to bring in a new act to govern these institutes. RUSA facilitates setting up of such universities to improve the quality of education.

An aide to Tawde said the state is contemplating introduction of an act to regularise cluster universities. “There’s an enabling provision for cluster universities in Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016. But the new act will put in place a new system,” he said.