Khalsa University to be reality soon

The much-awaited education project of historic Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) to establish Khalsa University Amritsar (KUA) will soon be a reality. This professional varsity would be set up separately on vast campus available with the Society and its 1892-built historic Khalsa College would continue to stay as a University Grants Commission (UGC)-granted Autonomous College.

A press release issued by Council office stated here today that there were news reports in section of vernacular media that Khalsa College is being converted into ' private University' which is not true. ''The university will be an independent entity, separate from Khalsa College, which is housed in the heritage main buildings at the campus'', said KCGC Honourary Secretary Mr. Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina.

He said Khalsa College's role in imparting education has been pivotal and it would continue to play that part and its stature has further been enhanced with the UGC bestowing it with an autonomous status. Thus the Khalsa College would continue to be under Guru Nank Dev University, Amritsar with its aided programs and courses intact.

''The independent academic atmosphere of the College would remain autonomous'', said Mr.Chhina.

He said proposal for setting up Khalsa University Amritsar is lying with the state government and the management has assured government that heritage status of the Khalsa College would remain 'independent'.

Mr. Chhina said they have plenty of lands available and KUA would be a multi-faculty university, professional university. He said they have more built up area than required for setting up the new varsity and more buildings to house various departments would come up in the times to come. He said the plans for these building are already ready.

A top level team headed by Secretary Education Mr Anurag Verma recently visited here to make assessment and they were immensely convinced with the infrastructure, financial status and expertise available with the management to set up the new university.

Mr.Chhina further added that the society that would run the University affairs as per the laid guidelines of the state government, UGC and other monitoring bodies. The non-profit-making Society which would be managing the University, he said, has 124 years of experience and is presently running 11 colleges and 5 schools, apart from historic Khalsa College. He said that the varsity will be run by the Society which is duly elected every five year and there is no change in the constitution since 1892.

''The aim of the KCGC is to impart value based education to all section of the society for building a progressive nation and society'', said he adding that the varsity would be a centre of excellence for professional courses.