A few hurdles in way of PIO University

New Delhi, Jan 3 (UNI) The proposal of the Overseas Indian Affairs Ministry to set up the country's first "PIO University" has reached the final stages, but the task seems to be daunting in the light of some of the key issues raised by the Union Human Resources Development Ministry with regard to reservation of seats.

The Concept Paper, prepared by the OIA Ministry, evisages reservation of 50 per cent of the seats in the proposed university for the children of NRIs and PIOs since it is set up exclusively with the investment of the Indian diaspora.

But such reservation is not possible under the existing rules of the University Grants Commission (UGC) whose affiliation is required for the PIO University.

The HRD Ministry, Health Ministry and the Commerce Ministry had already sent their comments on the concept paper on the project to the OIA ministry.

The OIA Ministry seems to be not enthused over the stand of the HRD ministry, but hopes to overcome the hurdle by getting the Cabinet's clearance.

In fact, the PIO University proposal was originally mooted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who announced during in the last Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Hyderabad during January 7-9 this year. OIA Minister Vayalar Ravi is also "very serious" about the PIO University proposal and had rushed up the process.

''Now that the comments from these ministries have been received, the concept paper will be discussed by the Union Cabinet and suitable decision taken,'' an OIA Ministry official told UNI here today.

Sources said the objection of the Health Ministry was not sweeping.

The Commerce Ministry was very positive to the proposal to set up the University in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

The concept paper, whose details are not yet made public, seeks to set up the PIO university with a multitude of institutions teaching medicine, engineering, business administration etc.,, affiliated to it.

The sources said the ministry would invite Expression of Interests on the concept paper once it is cleared by the Union Cabinet. ''This means that there may be multiple institutions affiliated to the PIO University. It is also possible that these institutions could be located in different places across the country.'' Since there was a huge demand from the NRIs/PIOs to invest in the University project, there is a possibility of more institutions coming up across the country and getting themselves affiliated to PIO University.

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