BITS and Other Universities Interested in Setting Up Campuses in Andhra Pradesh: Nara Lokesh

Minister Nara Lokesh stated in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council that the state government welcomes the establishment of private universities. Speaking during the Budget Session on Monday, he responded to questions raised by opposition members regarding the setup of private universities. He clarified that both the previous and current governments have been encouraging the establishment of Greenfield universities.

Lokesh highlighted that the existing Universities Act was designed to facilitate private universities. However, he alleged that the previous government made several amendments to the law, creating obstacles for private universities in Andhra Pradesh. He criticized the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government for prioritizing only four Brownfield universities while making five amendments to the Universities Act during its five-year rule. He further stated that these changes rendered the law inconsistent with the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.

Citing statistics on higher education, Lokesh mentioned that the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in Andhra Pradesh stands at 36.5%, whereas neighboring Tamil Nadu has a GER of 47%, and Kerala has 48.3%. He also announced that the state government is working on introducing a Unified Act for university examinations. He explained that currently, individual universities conduct their own exams, which creates challenges for students during the recruitment process.

Minister Lokesh claimed that several universities, including Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), are interested in setting up campuses in Andhra Pradesh. However, he argued that amendments made by the previous YSRCP government to the Universities Act have created hurdles for private universities. To address these issues, he stated that the government has decided to make further amendments to the law to facilitate the entry of private universities into the state.