Tumkur University will know what struggles, challenges and hurdles a new university faces. The varsity started functioning on March 20, 2004, at the Dr. Ambedkar Bhavan in Tumakuru city with just four postgraduate (PG) courses — Kannada, History, Commerce and Mathematics.
Founder Vice-Chancellor O. Anantaramaiah said that the expected financial aid was not given by the government. “I struggled to see that the students were provided classrooms and teaching staff,” he said.
Though the administrative block of Tumkur University was at Ambedkar Bhavan, the classes for the PG courses were held at the old PG Centre of Bangalore University i.e. the Government Junior College. As many as 270 acres of land were sanctioned at Devarayanadurga in 2007 to build the university campus, but the proposal was stalled by environmentalists.
“There were no teaching staff and I requested professors from Bangalore and Mysore Universities to take special classes so that the students are not denied quality education,” Mr. Anantaramaiah said. Well-known names came forward to offer resources.
When S.C. Sharma became the Vice-Chancellor in 2009, he shifted the university to the Government Arts and Science College campus in Tumakuru.
However, Tumkur University is preparing to build a new campus on 240 acres of land at Bidarakatte, and to start a PG centre with niche courses on 15 acres of land, that will help the local industry and agriculture in Tiptur taluk. Vice-Chancellor A.H. Rajasab has requested the government for funds to start the construction of the new campus.
