The seven-member committee of experts, with experience of more than 50 years in education, has suggested that the university be split into: Bangalore University South, Bangalore University North Bangalore University East and Bangalore University West. And the fifth, UVCE (University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering), should be considered a special institution.
The committee comprises K R Venugopal, principal of UVCE, T V Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global Education, N R Shetty, former V-C of Bangalore University, K R S Murthy, former director of IIM-B, R Natarajan, former director of AICTE and former chairman of AICTE, and K Narahari, former professor in BMS College.
Bangalore University has 614 affiliated colleges, 3.5 lakh students and 21 lakh answerscripts every semester. The university has to wrestle with delay in results due to postponement in the academic calendar.
Out of these, there are about 42 in Kolar, 25 in Chikkaballapur and 25 in Ramanagar. The rest of the colleges are all concentrated in Bangalore.
The members had a challenge: To split the university geologically, without alienating any institution. Designating each varsity ‘Bangalore University’ followed by its geographical location is aimed at retaining the sense of belonging to the place.
An expert in the committee told, “At present, the university V-C has little control over the affiliated institutions. It is humanly impossible to monitor a 150-km stretch between Bagepalli and Channapatna on the one hand and Nelamangala and Anekal on the other. Breaking it into smaller units will make it easy for students who are at present stressed with too much travel. It will be easier for administration as well.”
The UVCE was long-established in 1917 and is nearing the centenary. Engineering colleges established around that time in the country have been upgraded into IITs or universities. The committee has come to a decision to retain this college as a special institution to make sure that there is enough funding.
Presently, UVCE is under Bangalore University and is dependent on them for funding