Lok Sabha passes Central Universities (Amendment), Bill 2022
Gati Shakti university to be a world-class, multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional, futuristic institution for the transport sectors – Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Lok Sabha today passed Central Universities (Amendment), Bill 2022 for conversion of the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI), a Deemed to be University into Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), a Central University.
While replying in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi always works with a vision for the future and under his leadership, a future-ready workforce ready to embrace the fourth industrial revolution and challenges of the 21st century is being prepared. He also spoke about the technological developments happening under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi and said that by 2022 India will be Aatmanirbhar in the area of frontier technologies.
Shri Pradhan spoke about the transformations taking place in the infrastructure and transport sectors including roads, railways, shipping, aviation etc. He said that the growth of transport sectors, building of airports across nation in smaller cities and increasing air traffic is reflective of aspirations of the people of India. He said that the transformations taking place in the transport sector calls for building an institution to build a knowledge repository, conduct research, curate best practices, facilitate skill development, work on capacity building and facilitate the growth of transport sectors. He also said that the students of future would need to learn about environment, commerce, and social sciences, in addition to STEM to succeed in the infrastructure sector. Thus a world-class, multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional futuristic institution called Gati Shakti University has been envisioned.
The Minister also spoke about the need to bring more and more youth in the mainstream education and skilling ecosystem in line with the vision of National Education Policy. Our endeavour is to create a generation of job creators and not only job seekers, he further added. Shri Pradhan also said that a new work culture is being developed in India in which what will be promised, will be delivered. Gati Shakti is another example of that work culture, he further added.
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AS INTRODUCED IN LOK SABHA
Bill No. 176 of 2022
THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022
A
BILL
further to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
1. Short title and commencement.
(1) This Act may be called the Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2022.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification 5 in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Amendment of section 2.
In the Central Universities Act, 2009 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), in Amendment of section 2, after clause (j), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:––
‘(ja) “Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya” means the University established under section 3F;’.
3. Insertion of new section 3F.
After section 3E of the principal Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely:—
“3F. Establishment of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Gujarat.
(1) The National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, Gujarat, declared as a deemed to be University under section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, shall be established as a body corporate under this Act by the name Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
(2) The territorial jurisdiction of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya shall extend to the whole of India, as specified in the First Schedule to this Act.
(3) The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya shall be sponsored and funded by the Central Government in the Ministry of Railways.”.
4. Amendment of section 4.
In section 4 of the principal Act,––
(i) in clause (e), for the words “whichever is earlier; and”, the words “whichever is earlier;” shall be substituted;
(ii) after clause (f), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely:––
“(g) any reference to the National Rail and Transportation Institute, 15 Vadodara, in any contract or other instrument shall be deemed as a reference to Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya established under this Act;
(h) all properties, movable and immovable, of or belonging to the National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, shall vest in Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya established under this Act;
(i) all rights and liabilities of the National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, shall be transferred to, and be the rights and liabilities of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya established under this Act;
(j) every person employed by the National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, immediately before the commencement of the Central 25 Universities (Amendment) Act, 2022 shall hold his office or service in Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya established under this Act with the same tenure, at the same remuneration and upon the same terms and conditions and with the same rights and privileges as to pension, leave, gratuity, provident fund and other matters as he would have held the same if the Central Universities (Amendment) 30 Act, 2022 had not been enacted and shall continue to do so unless and until his employment is terminated or until such tenure, remuneration and terms and conditions are duly altered by the Statutes:
Provided that if the alteration so made is not acceptable to such employee, his employment may be terminated by the University in accordance with the 35 terms of the contract with the employee or, if no provision is made therein in this behalf, on payment, to him by the University, of compensation equivalent to three months’ remuneration in case of permanent employees and one month’s remuneration in the case of other employees;
(k) any reference, by whatever form of words, to the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, in any law for the time being in force, or in any instrument or other document, shall be construed as reference to the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya; and
(l) the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of the National Rail and Transportation 45 Institute, Vadodara, shall hold office for a period of six months from the date of coming into force of the Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2022 or till such time the first Vice-Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is appointed under section 44, whichever is earlier.”.
5. Amendment of section 5.
In section 5 of the principal Act, after the proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:––
“Provided further that the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya established as an University under section 3F shall take additional measures for providing high quality teaching, research and skill development in diverse disciplines related to transportation, technology and management including establishing centres in India and abroad, as may be required in the opinion of the said University.”.
6. Amendment of First Schedule.
In the First Schedule to the principal Act, after serial number 5 and the entries relating thereto, the following serial number and entries shall be inserted, namely:––
“5A. Gujarat Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Whole of India.”.
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
The Central Universities Act, 2009 was enacted to establish and incorporate universities for teaching and research in various States and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
2. With the basic infrastructure, governance and academic plan in place, the Government has decided to convert the National Rail and Transportation University, Vadodara, a deemed to be University, into Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, an autonomous Central University under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways.
3. Establishment of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalayawill address the need of talent in the strategically important and expanding transportation sector and meet the demand for trained talent to fuel the growth and expansion of the sector. The proposed University will––
(i) reverse brain drain and create critical capability and capacity by developing masters and doctoral degrees in transportation;
(ii) go a long way in making the nation self-reliant in the transportation sector through its programs for skilling and digitising India;
(iii) carry out critically-needed research and development by creating innovative technologies to encourage local manufacturing and substitute the imports of expensive technology, equipment and products; and
(iv) take additional measures for providing high quality teaching, research and skill development in diverse disciplines related to transportation, technology and management including establishing centres in India and abroad.
4. The scope of the proposed University will also extend beyond the railways to cover entire transport sector to support the ambitious growth and modernisation of the sector.
5. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022 seeks to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009, inter alia, to provide for the establishment of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya as a body corporate under the said Act.
6. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.
NEW DELHI;
The 21st July, 2022.
DHARMENDRA PRADHAN.
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PRESIDENT’S RECOMMENDATION UNDER ARTICLE 117 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
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[Letter No. 42-2/2022-CU.II dated 26 July, 2022 from Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education; Skill Development & Entrepreneurship to the Secretary General, Lok Sabha]
The President, having been informed of the subject matter of the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022, recommends consideration of the Bill in Lok Sabha under clause (3) of article 117 of the constitution of India.
FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM
Clause 3 of the Bill seeks to insert a new section 3F in the Central Universities Act, 2009, which provides for the National Rail and Transportation Institute, Vadodara, Gujarat, a deemed to be University, to be established as Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a body corporate having its territorial jurisdiction extending to the whole of India.
2. The proposal entails conversion of an existing functional institution from a deemed to be University to that of a Central University. Hence, the proposal entails no additional financial implication. Central Universities in India are funded either by the Government of India through the University Grants Commission or directly by the Central Government. The Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya will be funded by the Ministry of Railways in the Central Government.
ANNEXURE
Definitions.
EXTRACTS FROM THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES ACT, 2009
(25 OF 2009)
* * * * *
2. Definitions.
In this Act, and in all Statutes made hereunder, unless the context otherwise requires,—
* * * * *
(j) “Executive Council” means the Executive Council of the University;
* * * * *
4. Effect of establishment of Universities.
On and from the date of commencement of this Act,—
* * * * *
(e) the Vice-Chancellors of Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya and Doctor Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, appointed under the provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Vishwavidyalaya Adhiniyam, 1973, and the Vice-Chancellor of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, appointed under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 1973, shall be deemed to have been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor under this Act and shall hold office for a period of three months or till such time the first Vice-Chancellor is appointed under section 44 of the Act whichever is earlier; and
* * * * *
5. Objects of University.
The objects of the University shall be to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities in such branches of learning as it may deem fit; to make special provisions for integrated courses in humanities, social sciences, science and technology in its educational programmes; to take appropriate measures for promoting innovations in teaching-learning process and inter-disciplinary studies and research; to educate and train manpower for the development of the country; to establish linkages with industries for the promotion of science and technology; and to pay special attention to the improvement of the social and economic conditions and welfare of the people, their intellectual, academic and cultural development:
Provided that the Tribal University established under section 3D shall take additional measures for paying special attention to the tribal centric higher education and research, including art, culture and customs.
* * * * *
THE FIRST SCHEDULE
[See section 3(4)]
* * * * *
Serial No. Name of the State Name of the University Territorial jurisdiction
* * * * *
5. Gujarat Central University of Gujarat Whole of the State of Gujarat.
* * * * *
LOK SABHA
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