Prelims – Indian polity and Governance
Mains - GS II |Government Policies & Interventions
Why in News?
The "Tribhuvan" Sahkari University Bill 2025 was passed by the parliament recently.
- The Bill seeks to establish the Institute of Rural Management Anand, Gujarat (IRMA) as the “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University. Currently, IRMA is registered as a society.
- Objectives of the University - Provide education, training, and capacity building in the cooperative sector and undertake research and development activities in related areas.
- It will offer degree programs, distance learning and e-learning courses, and develop centres of excellence in co-operative sector.
- It may establish outlying campuses or affiliate institutes in any other place in India or outside India.
- Status of IRMA - IRMA will become one of the schools of the University.
- Autonomous identity of IRMA will be preserved within the institutional framework of the University.
- IRMA’s administrative and academic autonomy will be subject to the framework specified by the central government.
- IRMA will have its own Executive Board and a Director.
- Employees of IRMA will become the employees of the University, with no change in their terms and conditions of employment.
- Any modification in the ongoing academic programs and courses at IRMA may be made only with the concurrence of the Executive Board of IRMA.
- The Bill also declares IRMA as a centre of excellence for rural management.
- Governance of the University - The University will have a Vice-Chancellor, who will be the principal executive and academic officer of the University.
- The Vice-Chancellor will be appointed by the central government for a term of 3 years, and will be eligible for re-appointment for another 2 years.
- The Vice-Chancellor will head the Executive Council, principal executive body of the University.
- The central government will specify details for the constitution of the Council, its powers and functions, and terms of office of its members.
- The University will have a Governing Board whose key functions include
- Reviewing broad policies and programs of the University, and
- Nominating members to its various administrative councils.
- Governing Board - The Board will be headed by the Chancellor, who will be a person of eminence and will be appointed by the central government. The Chancellor will have a term of 5 years.
- Other members
- Vice-Chancellor,
- Secretary to the Cooperation Ministry,
- Four Secretaries of the central ministries dealing with cooperative sector,
- Heads of boards such as NABARD, National Dairy Development Board, and National Fisheries Development Board,
- Four eminent persons in the field of cooperatives.
- Board for Affiliation and Recognition - The University will have a Board for Affiliation and Recognition for admitting or affiliating institutes. This Board will be headed by the Vice-Chancellor.
References
- PIB | The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University Bill, 2025
- PRS India | The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University Bill, 2025
