Bangalore Central University needs Rs 25 crore to start, says Vice-Chancellor

BENGALURU: Bangalore Central University (BCU), Vice-Chancellor Prof. S Japhet has urged the government to allocate sufficient funds towards setting up the varsity. He said a minimum of Rs 25 crore had to be released immediately in order to ensure the varsity to start functioning from the next academic year. “The varsity can start functioning from the beginning of the upcoming academic year only if sufficient funds are released with immediate effect,” reminded the first VC of the newly formed varsity which will function from Central College campus. He added that the varsity also required the government to sanction 300 staff positions towards teaching and administrative faculty to ensure smooth functioning right from its genesis.

BCU, expected to be officially inaugurated in December, will include 188 private colleges (aided and unaided), 23 B.Ed. colleges, 11 government colleges, and 10 autonomous colleges apart from 7 postgraduate departments and one engineering college (UVCE) which functions from the headquarter campus, under its jurisdiction.

Elaborating on the four-year “evidence-based action plan” drafted by the team of experts, the vice-chancellor, who was appointed in July, said that BCU aims to start specialised schools and centres of learning in its first phase of operations.

Addressing media on Wednesday, the new administrative team presented the varsity’s Vision Statement. "A total financial requirement of Rs 1000 crore over four years has been presented to the government for consideration," said Prof Japhet while discussing the basic inception strategy envisioned by the expert panel.