Rama Krishna Sangem
A day before March 8, International Women’s Day, Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao has announced a Women’s University at Koti, Hyderabad. In his budget for 2022-23, Harish has given Rs 100 crore to start with, to the proposed university at Koti Women’s College, an autonomous unit in Osmania University. The women’s university will come in 2022-23.
Sources in the education department told Excel India that a Bill on the formation of the varsity will be introduced in the coming session of the assembly. The first women’s university will be launched by next academic year, said an official in the department. Already, an autonomous postgraduate college, it will easily get UGC approval to become a varsity.
Its name will be finalized soon. The names of Rani Rudrama, Sarojini Naidu, Durga Bai Deshmukh, Bhagamati, Ilamma, are among those being considered by the government.
Set up in 1924, this 98 year old Women’s College, Koti, is located in an imposing building of British era, constructed in 1803. This building was meant for British Resident James Achilles Kirkpatrick. It was built by British engineer from Madras presidency Lt Samuel Russell. Russell designed it like the Governor’s residence in Calcutta in those days.
Koti Women’s College is already a prestigious college in Osmania University. Getting a seat here is a matter of pride for girls for the last several decades. The number of courses and combinations are on par with the best in the country. After Padmavati Mahila University, Tirupati, in the combine AP gone to Andhra, Telangana will have its own varsity for women now.
Harish’s announcement on the women’s varsity in his budget speech on March 7 was greeted with cheers and celebrations in the varsity campus. Koti Women’s College principal Prof Vidyullatha joined her students in celebrations on the campus. Telangana Higher Education Council Chairman Prof R Limbadri thanked CM KCR, ministers KTR and Sabita Indra Reddy for the decision.
Education Minister Sabita in turned thanked the CM for granting this university for women. This women’s university might follow a modern academic pattern, unlike the existing conventional universities in the country. Latest courses with updated syllabus and links with the industry are expected to give it a different shape.
Harish Rao also proposed another horticulture university at the Mulugu on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The present Centre of Excellence of horticulture department would be upgrade to the status of varsity soon. This university will be a major educational hub for agriculture and horticulture studies in the country.
Along with these two varsities, FM Harish Rao in his budget announced setting up of 8 new medical colleges in Telangana in the coming year. He allocated Rs 1,000 crore for creating infrastructure for these colleges. The KCR government aims to set up a medical college in every district – of 33 districts – in the coming years, he announced.
