Telangana Assembly passes bill to set up Skill University in state

Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill for setting up a Young India Skill University-Telangana in the state. Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu moved the Young India Skill University Bill and the House took up a discussion on it.

Speaking on the Bill, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said, taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, who started an English journal "Young India," during the struggle for Independence the Telangana government named the varsity as "Young India Skill University."

Skill University to offer 17 courses

There will be 17 Skill development courses in the University. 2,000 students will get admissions this year. Six courses will be introduced in the first year.

The courses will be offered by collecting a nominal fee of Rs 50,000 every year. Scheduled caste, scheduled tribes and backward class students will be provided skill development courses free of cost by extending fee reimbursement benefit. Reddy said the varsity will be run on a Public Private Partnership model.

"We had several rounds of discussions with universities, industry and students on the proposed varsity. This university will focus on preparing the students to meet the international standards," Sridhar Babu said.

The varsity would focus on skilling students in some of the sectors such as BFSI, pharma and life sciences, Artificial Intelligence, retail and e-commerce, in association with industry, he said. He further said a permanent campus for the skill university will be built in over 50 acres at Mucharla near here.

Opposition supports the bill

BRS legislator Harish Rao said his party is supporting the Bill. BJP floor leader A Maheshwar Reddy said his party is supporting the state government's move for the university.

The AIMIM party suggested that the Bill be referred to a select committee for a wider discussion.