The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022

The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022 is a proposed amendment to the Central Universities Act, 2009 which seeks to establish a new autonomous central university in India: the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya. The new university will be funded and administered by the Ministry of Railways and will focus on the transportation sector, expanding beyond the scope of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTU), which the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will replace. The establishment of the university is intended to address the need for trained talent in the strategically important and expanding transportation sector, as well as reverse the trend of “brain drain” in the field.

Expanding the Scope of the University

The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022 seeks to expand the scope of the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya beyond just the railways to cover the entire transportation sector. This includes areas such as roads, waterways, ports, and airports, as well as related fields such as technology and management. The university will be responsible for providing high quality teaching, research, and skill development in these diverse disciplines.

Supporting Growth and Modernization

The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will play a key role in supporting the growth and modernization of the transportation sector in India. The university will offer Masters and doctoral degrees in transportation, helping to develop a skilled workforce to fuel the sector’s expansion. In addition, the university will conduct critically-needed research and development, creating innovative technologies to encourage local manufacturing and substitute the imports of expensive technology, equipment, and products.

Creating Critical Capability and Capacity

The establishment of the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is expected to reverse the trend of “brain drain” in the transportation sector and create critical capability and capacity in the field. By offering advanced degree programs and conducting research and development, the university will attract and retain talented individuals who may otherwise have sought opportunities abroad.

Skilling and Digitizing India

The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will also contribute to the government’s goal of skilling and digitizing India through its programs and research initiatives. The university will work to develop the necessary talent and technologies to make the nation self-reliant in the transportation sector.

Named after the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan

The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is named after the government’s flagship 100 lakh crore PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity. The Gati Shakti Master Plan is a digital platform that brings together 16 Ministries, including the Ministry of Roadways and the Ministry of Railways, for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala, and inland waterways, dry and land ports, and UDAN.

The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022 represents an important opportunity to establish a new autonomous central university focused on the transportation sector in India. The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will support growth and modernization in the field, provide high quality teaching and research, and develop the necessary talent and technologies to make the nation self-reliant. Once the Bill clears both Houses of Parliament, the university will be funded and administered by the Ministry of Railways and will carry out critically-needed research and development, creating innovative technologies to encourage local manufacturing and substitute the imports of expensive technology, equipment, and products.