BENGALURU: Come the new academic year, Bengaluru Central University will have a new name -- Bengaluru City University. This is following a long contestation over the use of the word 'Central' in the name, which was called a misnomer by officials since the institute is a state institute. While officials said, there have been talks about the renaming of the institute since the trifurcating, as it caused confusion, the decision was cemented by the cabinet recently.
Commissioner of Higher Education Pradeep P told TNIE that when Bengaluru university was trifurcated into Bangalore, Bengaluru central, and Bengaluru north -- the objective was to develop this institute as a city university since it has a campus in the city. A majority of the colleges affiliated to it also lie within the bounds of the city. Similar to other cities where you have city universities within the city, the institute is being renamed as Bengaluru city university to have its own identity,
Following the cabinet's approval, the ordinance will go to the governor for his assent and after that it will be promulgated, he added, confirming that as this is going for an ordinance now, the change in name will be in effect in the coming academic year.
In the meantime, syndicate of the university is in the process of approving the plans for the Rs 150 crore worth facelift and revamp of the institute.
A Rs 150 crore plan, which is seen by the deputy chief minister, who is also the minister for higher education Dr. Ashwath Narayan, entails renovating heritage buildings and construciton of a new academic block. New Indoor and outdoor sports facility will also be constructed.
College gets upgrade to 'Nrupatunga University'
The ordinance also proposed for a government science college to be upgraded to a university and renamed 'Nrupatunga University'. This will be under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), launched in 2013 that aims to provide strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions. All the changes are being made under the Karnataka University Act. As per officials, this natural progression of the college to the status of the university ensures higher funding from RUSA.