Union Cabinet approves Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University in Telangana

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The Union Cabinet on October 4, 2023 approved the establishment of Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University in Mulugu district of Telangana.

An Overview of the News

• Amendments to the Central Universities Act 2009 were approved to facilitate the establishment of the university.

• The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill-2023 will be introduced in Parliament for legislative action.

Legal Mandate and Delayed Establishment:

• The University has been established under the provisions of the 13th Schedule of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act-2014.

• This Act mandated the establishment of a tribal university in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

• A tribal university was established in Andhra Pradesh in 2019, after delays in land allocation had prevented the establishment of the university in Telangana.

Financial Provisions and Educational Objectives:

• Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University will receive funding provision of Rs 889.07 crore.

• The university aims to increase access to higher education in Telangana and improve the overall quality of education in the state.

• It will also focus on promoting tribal art, culture and traditional knowledge systems through instructional and research facilities.

• The establishment of the university seeks to address regional educational imbalances and create additional educational capacity.

Central Tribal Universities in India:

• Earlier, the Central Government had established two Central Tribal Universities in India:

  • Indira Gandhi National Tribal University is located in Amarkantak.

  • Andhra Pradesh Central Tribal University is located in Vizianagaram.

• Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University in Telangana will be the third such university established with the aim of providing higher education and research facilities to the tribal population of the country.

• At present there are a total of 45 central universities in India.