Will Odisha Get A Central University For Tribals?

New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has suggested the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to explore the possibility of establishing a full-fledged tribal university in tribal-dominated states like Odisha.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, in its report tabled in Parliament this week, has asked the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to approach the Ministry of Human Resource and Development and examine the proposal.

“The committee believes that the establishment of a full-fledged tribal university in a tribal area would encourage more ST students to take up higher education. With the improvement in the education sector, the tribal students can pursue what they want to and secure jobs in their field of interest,” it Parliamentary panel said in its report.

The report, in particular, suggested that the university could be set up in a state like Odisha, Tripura or in Meghalaya.

Should the university plan fructifies, it will be the first centrally-managed university for the tribals in the country.

At present, the Indira Gandhi Tribal University in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh is the only state-run university in the country.

The BJP government has also promised the people of Jharkhand in the election campaigns to set up a national tribal university in the State in the next five years.