SAMBALPUR: The Gangadhar Meher University (GMU) has been granted the 12(B) status by University Grants Commission (UGC). This would make the university eligible for Central assistance.
With this, the GMU becomes the first among four institutions, which were upgraded as universities in 2015 to be granted 12(B) status. The others are Ramadevi Women’s University, Khallikote Cluster University and Odisha State Open University.
The university authorities received a communication from the UGC in this regard on Friday. On July 26, a high-level UGC committee visited the university for assessing various facilities for students available in the institution. GMU Deputy Registrar Uma Charan Pati said 12 (B) status will open up new avenues for development of GMU and it would also pave the way for NAAC accreditation.
While the institution was established way back in 1944, it was upgraded to university from an autonomous college in 2015. At present, the university offers 26 PG programmes, 27 UG programmes, 10 Ph.D and 19 M.Phil courses besides, self-financing courses. The university is now planning to prepare proposals for development of library, classrooms, hostels and other student facilities which will now be funded by the UGC.