One step away from bringing all govt. women’s colleges under KSWU

With the Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) giving its approval to bring all government women’s colleges within the ambit of the Karnataka State Women’s University (KSWU), only Cabinet clearance is required to expand the jurisdiction of the university.

“Approval by the KSHEC is one of the major steps in getting all women’s colleges of the State affiliated to our university. We hope it will soon get Cabinet approval,” said Vice-Chancellor of the university Meena Chandavarkar.

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, she said that Higher Education Minister R.V. Deshpande was keen on getting the long-pending demand met.

She said that while all government women’s colleges and future private colleges would come under the jurisdiction of the university, existing private colleges had a choice of either joining the KSWU or staying affiliated to the present university.

With the expansion, 25 new colleges would come within the ambit of the university, Prof. Chandavarkar added. She said that this year, two new post-graduation courses — MA in Music and MA in Dance would be started under the Department of Performing Arts. Two new diploma courses in Tourism and Ideal Motherhood would also be started.

Stating that emphasis had been laid in the last decade to improve the campus, she said that Rs. 10 crore was spent on constructing an administrative building, Rs. 3 crore on the social sciences department building, Rs. 1.6 crore on a library, Rs. 75 lakh on a health centre and Rs. 30 lakh was spent on a large water tank. “As the number of students is increasing every year, we have decided to construct one more women’s hostel and a separate hostel for research students,” Prof. Chandavarkar said.

She said the university had submitted a Rs. 27-crore proposal under the Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan to improve research activities, skill development and infrastructure and build sports stadiums.

Registrar S.A. Kazi was present.