BENGALURU: Finally, there is a good news for Bangalore University. The century-old University Visveswaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) Bengaluru will remain with the university after trifurcation.
Putting an end to all talk about which university will get UVCE, an expert committee constituted by the Higher Education Department has submitted a report recommending it to retain UVCE with Bangalore University. The committee, headed by Prof Sondhe, has also recommended that the government shift the college to Jnana Bharathi campus for further expansion.
An official in the Higher Education Department told Express, “Currently the departments of the UVCE have been split between Jnana Bharathi and Central College campuses. Even the students, faculty members and the alumni of the college who are in top posts, now have opined that UVCE should remain with Bangalore University.”
The expert committee was formed to distribute/divide properties between the three universities that will be carved out of Bangalore University. Though the colleges were divided among the three universities based on geographical area, there was no decision on UVCE.
“We had series of meetings with the stakeholders of all the three universities, and all of them wanted to have UVCE with them. However, we realised that it should remain with Bangalore University and be shifted to Jnana Bharathi campus,” said a member of the expert committee.
The committee has also recommended that UVCE’s building and infrastructure be handed over to Bangalore Central University, which will work from Central College premises. “As UVCE is just opposite Central College, instead of going for new buildings, Bangalore Central University can make use of the infrastructure of UVCE once it is shifted to Jnana Bharathi,” he added.
“The committee’s recommendation will not be the final. The state government is free to take any decision. Both North and Central universities are indulging in politics to get UVCE, while UVCE authorities are trying to get autonomous status,” said a senior BU official.