Members of the Forum for Development North Andhra (FDNA) urged the State government to immediately start the operation of the proposed Tribal University at Vizianagaram.
At a roundtable organised here on Tuesday, K.S. Chalam former Vice-Chancellor of Dravidian University, said that the State government need not wait for a new Act and can follow the Indira Gandhi Tribal University Act of 2007. “Only thing that is needed is to see that the curriculum fills the gaps among the tribal population,” he said.
Former bureaucrat EAS Sarma pointed out that if the TU is serve it purpose, admissions should be restricted to tribal people only. “Tribals should also have a strong presence in the faculty and the advisory board,” he said. According to Mr. Sarma, apart from having a modern curriculum, the courses should focus on tribal empowerment. “Awareness should be created on tribal cooperative society, panchayat, tribals rights and legal issues,” said Mr. Sarma.
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Former Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University Prof. K.V. Ramana said tribal culture and language is unique and courses should be designed to upgrade and popularise the culture and language.
Vice-Chancellor of Centurion University and former V-C of AU Prof. GSN Raju pointed out that apart from courses related to tribal culture and language, technology and management courses should be part of the courses.
Aja Sarma of FDNA said that the government should start the university from PG college in Vizianagaram and for lab work, the campus of JNTU-Vizianagaram can be used.
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Funds sanctioned
The State government has already identified 500 acres land in Relli village in Kothavalasa mandal in Vizianagaram district and the government has already sanctioned about ₹5 crore for the construction of the boundary wall. The Central government also sanctioned ₹10 crore in the last Union Budget for the TU.
Members of FDNA resolved to form a draft bill and also design a curriculum that would benefit the tribals.