This is not a new phenomenon. For instance, in the early 20th Century, Mysore was under the jurisdiction of the University of Madras, and the formation of Mysore University was placed before the members of the Senate for their approval. One of the Senate members stood up and refused to give his blessings. He fumed: “Why should we bless a daughter who has run away from her home?"
Nearly a century later, today the debate is being revived with the proposed bifurcation of Bangalore University by the State government. The proposal for splitting Bangalore University had been under consideration for nearly a decade. In 2009, a committee chaired by former Gulbarga University Vice-Chancellor Dr N Rudraiah had recommended splitting Bangalore University into three: Bangalore South, Bangalore North, and Bangalore Central.
However, the government indicated that it would prefer only bifurcation of Bangalore University.
The matter was then referred to a committee of the Karnataka State Council for Higher Education - the highest decision-making body on higher education in the State.
The committee recommended carving a new university out of Bangalore University. With this, two universities would be formed in Bangalore, namely Bangalore University and Bangalore South University.
Why bifurcate BU?
Under the norms of the University Grants Commission (UGC), a university should ideally have around 200 colleges. As per the records of Bangalore University, it has a whopping 654 affiliated colleges. This is nearly three times the number considered optimum by the UGC.
The resultant administrative nightmare is what has prompted the government to look into bifurcation of the university. For instance, evaluation of answer scripts and announcement of results have long been the bane of Bangalore University. However, these arguments have been mitigated to some extent by a series of examination reforms that have been undertaken by the university.
Moreover, the focus on number of affiliated colleges is a little tricky. A few months ago, Bangalore University pointed out that nearly 150 colleges affiliated have virtually no intake. The University points out that once a college is affiliated to it, it has no power to disaffiliate the institution, and therefore the inflated numbers.
Mending fences
Currently, Bangalore University's writ runs in five districts: Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Ramanagara. The committee has recommended splitting the districts between the two universities in such a manner that affiliated colleges are split equally between the two.
Under the proposal, Bangalore University will cover the whole of Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts. It will also include one taluk (Bangalore north) of Bangalore Urban district, and three taluks (Hoskote, Devanahalli, and Doddaballapur) of Bangalore Rural district. On the other hand, Bangalore South University will comprise Ramanagara district, three taluks (Bangalore South, Bangalore East, and Anekal) of Bangalore Urban District, and one taluk (Nelamangala) of Bangalore Rural district.
While in absolute geographic terms, Bangalore University will have a much larger jurisdiction than Bangalore South University, both Chikkaballapur and Kolar have only a few colleges. Under the arrangement, Bangalore University will have 356 affiliated colleges, while Bangalore South University will have 298 affiliated colleges.
Campus allotment
Currently, Bangalore University functions from two campuses: the Central College campus in the heart of the City, and Jnanabharathi campus at Kengeri. The Council's report recommends that the Jnanabharathi campus will go to Bangalore South University, while a fresh campus will be built for Bangalore University at Hoskote, around 26 km from the City. The Council also proposes that Bangalore University can retain the existing Central College campus until the new campus at Hoskote comes up. The Council has recommended that the new campus should be small, of around 200 acres, and should favour vertical growth to address environmental concerns.
The other point of concern is how will University departments and colleges be divided between the two universities. The Council report itself is quite vague on the issue. The report says that UVCE and other PG departments may be divided between the two universities as per the decision taken by the State government.
What’s in a name
The Council has also taken pains to explain why it has chosen to call the new university Bangalore South University.
"The proposal to create Bangalore South University out of Bangalore University should be acceptable to students and others concerned, as many of them want the word 'Bangalore' retained in their University's name," says the report.
The report points out that even when Bangalore Urban district was divided into four taluks, three of the taluks were named Bangalore South, Bangalore North and Bangalore East. Similarly when the erstwhile Bangalore district was divided into two regions, they were called Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural district. "This shows that the term 'Bangalore' is of sentimental value to the public", the report says.
Former Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor N R Shetty said the bifurcation will be meaningful only if the government fully backs the two universities. “Bifurcation would mean that both teaching staff and infrastructure will have to be boosted at both universities. Moreover, splitting the Central College from the Jnanabharathi campus is like separating the heart from the head,” he says.
“The State government must look into the financial viability of running two universities before bifurcation,” Shetty added.
Lessons from history
While objections to the proposal are perhaps not totally unexpected, some lessons can be drawn from the experience of Mysore University, the "daughter who ran away from home".
Noted economist Dr D M Nanjundappa, put it best in a lecture at Mysore University. He said: "We should invite the University of Madras today: She would see her 82-year-old daughter grown into a beautiful, mature, and admirable person. The mother may not remember her words uttered in the past, but would now certainly shed tears of joy and embrace her daughter.''
Past and future
