Land inspected for Central Tribal University campus in Vizianagaram District

To identify and finalise a suitable area for the construction of the permanent campus of Central Tribal University (CTU), a Central team, including the University Grants Commission (UGC) Secretary, Rajnish Jain, made a visit on Wednesday. The team visited the Andhra Pradesh State Government’s proposed land pocket, which is spread across 611 acres in Mentada and Dattirajeru Mandals, in Vizianagaram district. 

Along with UGC Secretary, Special Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Higher Education Department, Satish Chandra IAS, accompanied the team. The locals, in and around the area, took part in the inspection. They explained the road and air connectivity for the region. 

Inspecting the area allotted for the Central University in Vizianagaram, the team sought the State Revenue Department’s help to check if the land was viable for the construction of a building. They also enquired about the water, road, rail and other necessities. Post examining the area, the team also asked the State Government to officially sanction the land at the earliest, so that construction of the building can be executed in a phased manner. 

The Central Tribal University was sanctioned to the State under the 13th Schedule of the Andhra Pradesh Recognition Act, 2014. This University has been functional since 2019. It offers four postgraduate degrees and four diploma courses. 

Currently, CTU is running at a rented building allotted at the Andhra University PG Centre in Visakhapatnam. Last year, over 180 students joined the campus. As and when CTU has a permanent building, the University will be able to take more applications. 

It should be noted that in January, 2021, a team headed by the State Higher Education Commissioner, Satish Chandra IAS, identified a pocket of land for the Central University at Kothavalasa Mandal in Vizianagaram District. While the opposition parties demand that the State Government must continue its earlier plan of constructing a CTU building in Relli Village, close to Bhoganatham, the tribal leaders insist that the government begins the construction work at the earliest.