AHMEDABAD: The Government of Gujarat on Monday, June 1, accorded in-principle Centre of Excellence to seven institutions, which include Nirma University, Ahmedabad; Pandit Deen Dayal Petroleum University (PDPU), now (Pandit Deendayal Energy University), Gandhinagar; Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT), Anand; Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT), Gandhinagar; Marwari University, Rajkot; and CEPT University, Ahmedabad.
The institutes had applied for the status in July 2020 and the approval was granted by a high-level committee headed by Indira J Parikh, Former Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA). He was nominated by the state government along with Asha Kaul, Faculty at IIMA; Dhanraj Nathwani, Group President, Reliance Industries; and GT Pandya, Director and ex-officio member of the committee. The committee was formed in March 2020 through a government resolution.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in an official statement said that these seven institutions with the award of CoE will establish their leading status in the world of education. Higher education, research and start-up will get a boost with this and in addition there will be exchange of education globally which will benefit the students of states from the best practices around the world, he added.
Anju Sharma, Principal Secretary of Education, said that the awarded universities have been directed to prepare an action plan for the coming three years on how the students will be benefited and how the funds will be channelized. The decision has also been challenged by Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on the grounds that Gujarat Professional Technical Education colleges or Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fees) Amendment Act, 2013, has been challenged in the Gujarat High Court and the matter was sub-judice.