Maharashtra Adopts National Education Policy Standards for Cluster Universities

The Department of Higher and Technical Education, Maharashtra, has released a set of guidelines for the formation of cluster universities in line with NEP 2020. Check important guidelines here 

The Maharashtra Department of Higher and Technical Education has framed directives outlining the formation of cluster universities, merging up to five colleges to establish multidisciplinary institutions in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

All traditional and vocational colleges, except for teach agriculture and health science, are eligible to be clubbed into a cluster university. The recently established cluster universities are required to feature a designated leading college, inclusive infrastructure for individuals with disabilities, and incorporate two research centres as part of their mandate.

Guidelines for Cluster Universities in Maharashtra 

The Maharashtra cabinet approved the cluster university formation guidelines on November 17, aligning them with the University Grants Commission's (UGC) 'Guidelines for Transforming Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) into Multidisciplinary Institutions,' released in September. Check below some of the guidelines: 

• As per the department guidelines, cluster universities can be formed with a minimum of two colleges and a maximum of five colleges in the district, provided that at least one of them is a government-aided college. 
• Every cluster university needed to establish a leading college, an academically distinguished institution established a minimum of 20 years ago with coordinating and providing guidance to the other colleges within the university structure.
• To establish a cluster university, it is necessary to ensure physical proximity among the participating colleges.
• The cluster university must have at least two functioning research centres approved by the affiliated university. The constituent colleges should also be able to raise resources through other means than public funding. 
• The guidelines mandate that the university to have a minimum of 4,000 students combined in all participating colleges. The cluster university is also required to make plans to convert existing buildings into accessible structures for the differently-abled.

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