The inauguration of the Central University of Tamil Nadu at Tiruvarur, the birth place of the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, on Wednesday, by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal is expected to herald a sea change in the conceptualisation of quality higher education in the State, particularly in the Central districts where the growth of arts and science colleges, engineering colleges and business schools has been witnessing a spurt over the last decade.
The Union HRD Minister will inaugurate the new university in the presence of the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, the Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudi and many other dignitaries.
One among the 12 Central Universities established by the Central Universities Ordinance 2009, the Central University of Tamil Nadu is all set to start off with four ‘non-lab non-equipment’ programmes: M.A. English, M.A. Tamil, M.A. Regional Studies and Post-Graduate Diploma course in Eco-conservation.
According to the university Vice-Chancellor B.P. Sanjay, who has a rich academic and administrative experience – having served earlier as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Centrally-funded University of Hyderabad – adjunct and guest faculties with abilities to work in different areas have been identified. To begin with, the university will have seven faculty members.
The university will function from a new building with 146 rooms in the Collectorate campus. The building with 55,000 square feet floor space is being adapted for teaching and lab space, and setting up administrative, finance and other wings. The District Collector M. Chandrasekaran handed over the building to the Vice-Chancellor on August 7.
The State Government is already in the process of providing 516 acres of land in Nagakudi and Neelakudi villages, about six kms from Tiruvarur-Mayiladuthurai Road, for establishing the permanent campus.