The screening committee for examining the proposals to set up private universities headed by Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik on Friday gave its nod for establishment of Birla Global University (BGU), a world-class institution, in the State.
Principal Secretary of Higher Education Department GK Dhal, who is the convenor of the committee, moved the proposal for BGU, which was accepted by the panel. Development Commissioner JK Mohapatra, Principal Secretary of Industries Parag Gupta, Principal Secretary of Health & Family Welfare Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra and the Principal Secretary of law were the other members of the committee present at the meeting.
The committee decided to ask the promoters to set up a Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) in Bhubaneswar on the lines of the BITS, Pilani to provide quality technical education in Odisha, official sources said.
Earlier, the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata had approached the Department of Higher Education (DoHE) of Odisha to allow it to set up BGU here. Accordingly, a committee of experts headed by Higher Education Principal Secretary GK Dhal visited the site where BGU is planned and found to its satisfaction that the promoters are serious in their endeavour.
The proposed BGU would come up as a university under the De Novo category. An area of 29.400 acres of land has already been acquired at Gothapatna on the outskirts of the capital city for establishment of BGU and construction work is going on. The estimated capital cost for setting up of the university would be Rs86 crore while the student strength would be 995. The courses on offer include School of Development & Sustainability, School of Communication, School of law, School of Social Science & Humanities, School of Architecture & Planning and School of Tribal Studies & Development.
In the meantime, the committee of experts has emphasised introduction of new areas of studies such as School of Basic Sciences, BVoc, BEd, MEd, Nuclear and Space Science, Marine Science, Agricultural Science, Food Safety, Genetics, Paramedics, Banking, Insurance and Entrepreneurship development.