TN House passes Bills to set up 2 more technical varsities

Chennai, Dec 7 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Assembly today passed Bills to establish two more Technical Universities in the State.

Besides the existing 'Anna University' in Chennai, two more varsities by the same name would be established in Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli.

Moving the Bills in the House, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy said after the Anna University became an affiliating type university in respect of engineering colleges in the state in 2001, it had been realised that ''managing the affairs of more than 240 colleges across the state from Chennai has become a near impossibility.'' With a view to ensure better and effective monitoring of the engineering colleges, the Goverment had decided to establish two more Technical Universities with clearly demarcated areas. These universities would be named as 'Anna University, Coimbatore' and 'Anna University, Tiruchirapalli,' he said.

Also, with a view to have better administration of the constituent colleges of Anna University, it had been decided to convert them as Government Engineering Colleges, the Minister said.

Mr Ponmudy said all existing engineering colleges and those which might be established in future in the districts of Tiruchirapalli, Cuddalore, Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Virudhunagar, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Perambalur and Thiruvarur would be affiliated to the 'Anna Univeristy, Tiruchirapalli.' Similarly, all engineering colleges in the districts of Coimbatore, Dindigul, Erode, Karur, the Nilgiris, Theni, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Namakkal and Salem would be affiliated to the 'Anna University, Coimbatore.' The Minister said Special Officers would be immediately appointed to manage the affairs of two Universities.

He said the Government was also taking efforts to bring out a Common University Act to ensure uniform syllabus for all colleges.

Earlier, Mr Senthamil Selvan (PMK) objected to the Bill, stating the move was unnecessary and impose huge financial burden on the Government exchequer.

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