Dr. Manmohan Singh Earth Sciences University to be set up in Bhadradri Kothagudem

The State government has decided to establish the Earth Sciences University of Telangana to promote comprehensive development in higher education and to meet the research and consultancy needs in applied sciences and engineering with special emphasis on earth sciences and mining.

To be named after former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the new university has been created by upgrading the University College of Engineering in Kothagudem. As part of the initiative, new courses and departments will be created in the university with the government sanctioning teaching and non-teaching posts as well as extending financial support and ensuring infrastructure development in line with the Telangana Universities Act, 1991.

The Assembly passed a Bill facilitating the creation of the Dr. Manmohan Singh Earth Sciences University on Monday. The Bill envisages transfer of existing assets and liabilities, including the teaching and non-teaching posts of the University College of Engineering from the administrative control of Kakatiya University.

MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi who participated in the discussion expressed concern that the members were not given the detailed report pertaining to the development. There was no information available about the courses that would be offered by the university, what new departments would be created and what was the quantum of financial support that would be extended to the new institution.

The government was establishing universities but these were lacking necessary provisions like teaching faculty and other infrastructure. “Why are youth still unemployed and looking towards government jobs? What are the new courses on offer to make youth globally competitive?” he asked stressing the need for offering courses that would enable youth to compete at the global level.

He recalled instances of mushrooming growth of engineering colleges in the past and said seats in these institutions were lying vacant, including in prime courses like artificial intelligence and computer sciences engineering. There was a need to check the private universities as also institutions claiming to be deemed-to-be universities which were offering courses which were not recognised by the All India Council for Technical Education and other bodies.