CHENNAI: Defending the proposed amendments in the TN Private Universities Act, 2019, Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan on Thursday said the move will attract world-class universities to the state.
The minister said the earlier requirement of 100 acres of land and a Rs 50 crore endowment deposit had been reduced to 25 acres and Rs 25 crore to encourage more institutions to come up in the state.
Drawing a comparison with Oxford and Cambridge, the minister said these universities have a long history, strong curricula, experienced faculty, modern infrastructure and comprehensive facilities.
“Tamil Nadu should become a model for the country by creating universities that offer similarly integrated and high-quality education,” said the minister after attending a graduation ceremony of a private college in the city.
“Tamil Nadu has historically been an education hub. With a vision to attract world class universities to the state, the reductions have been made in land and endowment requirements,” added the minister.
Viswanathan said global IT and manufacturing companies were increasingly looking towards Tamil Nadu for recruitment and placements, reflecting the quality of its students.
He further announced plans for a major conclave involving principals and placement officers from government, private, engineering and polytechnic colleges.
The initiative would focus on integrated education, internships, industrial visits, employability and industry partnerships.
“We don’t aim to convert the existing colleges to universities, instead we want global universities to set up facilities here,” added Viswanathan.
