Vedanta University

Vedanta University is a proposed, private, multi-disciplinary, co-educational university to be started by Anil Agarwal of Vedanta Resources corporation near Puri-Konark highway, Odisha, India. According to the news reports and as of Sep 2010, the plans of the university was a closed chapter.[1] However, in late April 2015 a revival of the project was initiated; The ex-Chief Secretary of Odisha, Mr. Bijay Patnaik, was hired as the President of the Vedanta University Project to revive this project. [2] [3] [4]

Proposed Vedanta University Project
TypeProposed Private
Established2006
EndowmentUnverified endowment numbers
Administrative staff
None
StudentsNone
Location
Konark
,
Odisha
,
India

19.859804°N 85.934835°E / 19.859804; 85.934835
CampusRural, 6,000 acres planned, not yet acquired
Websitewww.vedanta.edu.in

The vision

Anil Agarwal, an Indian businessman, who heads the London based Vedanta Resources corporation and Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha state in eastern India, had signed a memorandum of understanding to create a world class, multidisciplinary university, Vedanta University.[5] The university, which would be entirely a not-for-profit venture, was planned to be funded from Agarwal's personal funds[5][6] Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Knowledge Commission was the choice of the first chancellor of Vedanta University. Recent reports also suggest that at least three Nobel laureates have been contracted to join the university.[7] In July 2009, the government of Orissa passed a landmark bill to allow the massive university to be set up and function with autonomy. [8] [9]

The three goals of Vedanta University are in the following directions:

  • Education: To provide meritorious Indian students access to world class education within India.
  • Research: To conduct cutting edge research on globally relevant topics from an Asian-centric perspective.
  • Society: To produce tomorrow's leaders, and to promote economic growth in the region.

Some details of the vision in the university can be found in the website archive. [10]

Academics and research

According to the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the university was being modeled most closely on Stanford University and aims to be a peer institution to them in terms of world class research and education.

Schools and colleges

Centers of excellence
  • Health Sciences
  • Manufacturing Sciences
  • Agricultural Research
  • Rural Economics
  • Information & Communication Technology
  • Pharmaceutical Research
  • Urban Planning
  • Nanotechnology
  • Biotechnology

Campus and township

The foundation has identified 6,000 acres (24 km2) of land near the Puri-Konark marine drive between Nuanai and Balighai for the proposed Vedanta University. However the land acquisition for the university has hit a roadblock with the Supreme court ordering a status quo and hence the project has been stayed. [11]

Environmental Violations

Several environmental violations were raised against the university which resulted in cases in the High court and the Supreme Court. In May 2010, Government of India asked the Anil Agarwal Foundation to stall the construction of the proposed Vedanta University at Puri to address issues related to environmental violations in the project. [12] [13]

Controversies

An academic has questioned whether, given its location and size, Vedanta can achieve its aims of being a leading research university.[14] A rejoinder was also published.[15] Another criticism leveled at the university, by politicians, local academicians, and the farmers currently occupying the proposed site relates to the relatively vast area of the proposed campus and its large student intake, although a few individual opinions differ.[16]

High Court Declares Land Acquisition for the University as Illegal and Void

On 16 November 2010, the Orissa High Court declared the land acquisition for the Rs 15,000-crore Vedanta University project in Puri town as illegal and void[17] [18][19] [20] [20]

Supreme Court - Status quo on all land acquisition for Vedanta

A couple of months later, the Supreme court of India based in New Delhi ordered a stay or status Quo on all acquisition proceedings.[21]

University was a closed chapter for four plus years

News paper reports appeared saying that the university is a closed chapter.[1]

Revival Attempt starting 30 April 2015

A revival of the project is being tried with the hiring of the ex-Chief Secretary of Odisha, Mr. Bijay Patnaik, as the President of the Vedanta University Project. He joined this position on 30 April 2015. [3] [4] He told TOI [2] that his priority would be to expedite the decision in the supreme court case. Asked about potential conflict of interest, he said that such a question does not arise as the project he has joined has nothing to do with Vedanta as a company and he personally feels that the university is a desirable project that should take shape in the interest of Odisha. In an interview with Telegraph [22] he discusses more details on his task in reviving Vedanta University. He also gave an interview [23] (in Odia) to OTV, a major cable channel in Odisha where he addresses many questions that has been raised by the media on this issue.

Some signs of a possible revival were earlier reported in September 2014 [24] and December 2014. [25] However, prior to that, in the previous years (2012, 2013), Anil Agarwal in some of his interviews did talk about his continuing interest in establishing Vedanta University. See for example: [26] [27] [28]

The Supreme court of India on 28 November 2016 gave some positive indications that it may allow Vedanta University. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India and a member of the bench hearing this case, Justice T.S. Thakur, is quoted to have said "Why should anyone oppose setting up of a world class university which will give opportunity to over one lakh students? If somebody is making an investment of Rs 2,500 crore in education, why should somebody oppose it? Students will benefit. Public would benefit." [29] The Supreme Court bench seems to have suggested that the court may monitor the setting up of the university so as to make sure that the land is used for the university and not for commercial purposes. [30] Following that, the promoter, Mr. Anil Agarwal, said to OTV in Bhubaneswar: "We will definitely go ahead with the plan to set up the university". [31]

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See also
  • Higher education in Orissa

Footnotes
  1. Mohanty, Debabrata (8 September 2010). "Vedanta University a closed chapter". Indian Express. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  2. Pradhan, Ashok (1 May 2015). "Babu's Vedanta univ president post raises brows". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  3. "Former Odisha CS BK Patnaik joins Vedanta Group". 29 April 2015.
  4. "Former CS Patnaik joins Vedanta Varsity Project". 30 April 2015.
  5. "Anil Agarwal donates $1 billion to set up university".
  6. "Major Private Gifts to Higher Education Since 1967". Archived from the original on 24 November 2005. Retrieved 24 November 2005.
  7. "Pitroda likely to be first Chancellor of Vedanta varsity".
  8. Mishra, Sandeep (30 July 2009). "Bill for Vedanta varsity gets legislative seal". The Times Of India.
  9. "Orissa assembly passes Vedanta University Bill, 2009".
  10. "Vedanta University Website archive of February 6, 2012". Archived from the original on 6 February 2012.
  11. Rautray, Samanwaya (29 January 2011). "Status quo on Vedanta land". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India.
  12. Centre halts Vedanta university
  13. Jairam says no to Vedanta campus in Orissa | NDTV.com
  14. "Vedanta University: a flawed pipe dream". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 29 August 2007.
  15. Odisha HRD » Rejoinder to "Vedanta University: a flawed pipe dream"
  16. "Vedanta University in Orissa & the dismal state of higher education in country". Orissa Diary. 21 August 2009.
  17. Asian Centre for Human Rights
  18. Land acquisition procedure for Vedanta University illegal: HC - Indian Express
  19. Land acquisition procedure for Vedanta University illegal: HC
  20. http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7349104-another-set-back-to-vedanta
  21. "SC orders status quo on Vedanta university land in Orissa". The Times Of India. 29 January 2011.
  22. "Hot seat: Bijay Kumar Patnaik, IAS (retired), former chief secretary and current president of Vedanta University project". 23 May 2015.
  23. "Kholakatha 14 May 2015". 14 May 2015.
  24. "Anil Agarwal to donate 75% of wealth for good of society". 26 September 2014.
  25. "Anil Agarwal: Charity on his mind Agarwal has pledged three-fourths of his wealth to philanthropy. Will he deliver?". 6 December 2014.
  26. "Vedanta Group hopeful of revival of varsity project". 1 November 2012.
  27. "Anil Agarwal to take a non-executive post at Vedanta in 3-4yrs". 28 November 2012.
  28. "Vedanta will double earnings to $12-13 bn in 2-3 years: Anil Agarwal: Interview with chairman, Vedanta". 19 February 2013.
  29. "SC hope for varsity plan by Vedanta". 29 November 2016.
  30. "May monitor setting up of private university in Odisha: SC". 29 November 2016.
  31. "Vedanta hopeful of Puri varsity". 1 December 2016.

References
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