BSNL plans technical varsity

The PSU expects to approach AICTE as well as UGC for formal approval within next eight months

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has started work on establishing a technical university that will offer engineering and management courses.

It expects to approach the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) for approval in eight months.

“BSNL has sufficient infrastructure to meet AICTE guidelines for engineering and management education. We also have sufficient supporting staff to meet the UGC norms. Our staff is working on it. We should be able to send it for formal approval in six to eight months,” Director (Consumer Mobility) Anupam Shrivastava said.

He said it will not be difficult for the telecom major to get the necessary approvals.

“Due to the initiatives of the HRD ministry, institutions running short-term courses such as Defence Institute of Advance Technology have been converted into formal and autonomous education institutions. We should also have no issues in getting approval,” Shrivastava said.

The public sector enterprise selection board has selected Shrivastava for the post of chairman and managing director of the company.

BSNL has formed a committee under Senior General Manager G C Manna to work on the detailed project report.

Shrivastava said the institute  will have a capacity to train 1,500 to 3,000 students at one time.

“We have a centre in Ghaziabad which is aided by the United Nations but is under-utilised. It has a capacity to train 2,500-3,000 students. Similarly, we have a centre in Jabalpur. There are other 16 centres which have a minimum capacity of 1,000 students,” Shrivastava said.

He added BSNL will add formal courses on cyber security at the centre to contribute in the government’s target of creating 500,000 professionals skilled in this domain by 2018.

“Cyber security is an emerging concern. We have the infrastructure to train people. Today, we have a crunch of cyber security experts. This initiative will not only help us but also other organisations with skilled workforce. It will be a dynamic course and its format will decided after due deliberations,” Shrivastava said.

BSNL’s plan to set-up the institute is a part of its asset utilisation plan to help it in reducing losses.