CHENNAI: The renowned Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is in expansion mode and will be opening its third campus in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
The foundation stone for the new campus, coming up at Kothri Kalan on Bhopal-Indore Highway, will be laid on Thursday by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Minister for Higher Education Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya in the presence of officials from the VIT.
Speaking to Express, G Viswanathan, founder-chancellor of the VIT University, said the university was waiting to expand in North India and the plan had now become a reality.
“The upcoming campus is in the heart of the country, which will be easily accessible for students in nearby states. They do not need to come all the way to Chennai or Vellore to study,” he said.
Viswanathan said they have received as many as 15,000 applications for various courses from students of Madhya Pradesh this year.
To start with, the proposed university campus, to be built in an area covering 120 acre, will have an intake of 1,000 students and will offer degrees in engineering and arts and sciences.
Elaborating on future expansion plans, the Chancellor said land had already been allotted by the Andhra Pradesh government for another campus.
“About 200 acres have been allotted near that State’s upcoming capital city of Amaravathi, for which the foundation stone will be laid very soon, on November 3,” Viswanathan added.
Presently, the VIT University has two campuses — one in Vellore and another in Chennai.