The Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) plans to offer classes to students on its satellite campus in Tiruchi from 2024-25 academic year.
The university, which was established under the Central Universities Act, came into being in September 2009. It functions on about 500 acres of land at Neelakudi on the outskirts of Tiruvarur. Taking into account the fact that many central universities have one or more campuses, in addition to their main campus, the CUTN has proposed to set up a satellite campus in Tiruchi, which is well connected by air, road, and rail. It has identified five acres of land at Suriyur near the Bharathidasan University.
The CUTN is said to have initiated the process of taking control of the land from the Revenue Department by paying the cost fixed by it. Once the Union Ministry of Education gives its nod, the university will pay the cost to the State government.
M. Krishnan, Vice-Chancellor of the CUTN, told The Hindu it had formulated a plan to construct classroom buildings, guest, and staff quarters and other basic infrastructure. Once the university took possession of the land it would initiate the process of building infrastructure.
It should have set up the satellite campuses much earlier. However, the process involved in taking possession of the land from the State government had delayed the establishment of the campus. The university would offer classes on the satellite campus from 2024-25 academic year, the Vice-Chancellor hoped.
Since Tiruchi was well connected by air, he said that the university, in addition to its main campus, could conduct conferences, seminars, and others by attracting experts from different parts of the country. The new campus would enable the university to improve student intake, Mr. Krishnan added.