STATE TO SET UP NEW SKILL DEVELOPMENT UNIVERSITY

MUMBAI: In a bid to increase skilled manpower and increase employment opportunities in the state, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday approved a proposal to set up its first public skill development university and six centres of excellence (COE) that would offer degree and postgraduate courses. The government will introduce a bill in this regard in the budget session of the state legislature which will start on March 1.

Maharashtra currently has one private skill development university in Pune, while there are seven other such universities across the country.

According to skill development minister Nawab Malik, the proposed university will provide courses keeping in mind the requirement of the day and the future. “There will be degree and postgraduate courses offered through the university. Besides that, different colleges will be allowed to offer skill development courses. Courses will be designed keeping in mind the requirement of the industries so that more and more people get trained and get jobs,” he said.

“The university will receive an annual funding of ₹50 crore from the government for 10 years, following which it will become a self-sustaining university,” Malik said.

Meanwhile, the state is still deliberating where to set up the university. Some of the shortlisted locations include Mumbai, Thane and Pune. “We are still discussing where to set up the university; whether to do it in Mumbai, Thane or Pune or near the [Mumbai-nagpur] Samruddhi Mahamarg,” Malik said.