NEWS

• A bill has been introduced in Lok Sabha to establish the Tribhuvan Sahkari University.
• The university will be located on the campus of the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) in Gujarat.
• It will be declared an institution of national importance.

THE PROPOSAL:

• Currently, IRMA offers specialized courses in rural management and training in the development sector, including cooperatives.
• The new university aims to provide technical and management education and training specifically focused on the cooperative sector.
• It will also promote cooperative research and development and strive for global excellence.
• This initiative follows Home Minister Amit Shah’s 2021 announcement regarding the government’s intention to establish a National Cooperative University.
• While India will have its first such university, several other countries already have dedicated cooperative universities.

Distinctive Features:

• The university will be a specialized institution, the first of its kind in India, focusing on cooperative education, training, research, and development.
• It will establish sector-specific schools (e.g., dairy, fishery, sugar, banking, etc.) on campus or in leading states for those sectors.
• The university will have affiliated colleges/institutions in states with a high concentration of cooperative societies (4-5) and fewer societies (1-2).
• It will utilize existing e-learning platforms like SWAYAM.

Rationale for a Cooperative University:

• The cooperative sector plays a significant role in India’s economy (e.g., agricultural credit, fertilizer distribution/production, sugar production, milk production/procurement, wheat/paddy procurement, fish production).
• The government recognizes that the current cooperative sector education and training infrastructure is fragmented and inadequate.
• There is a need for standardized, quality-monitored education, training, and research to meet the demand for qualified manpower in cooperatives.
• The university aims to address the capacity building needs of employees and board members in the cooperative sector nationwide.

THE INSTITUTE OF RURAL MANAGEMENT ANAND (IRMA):

• Founded in 1979 by Dr. Verghese Kurien, the Father of the White Revolution.
• Established with support from NDDB, SDC, the Government of India, the Government of Gujarat, and the erstwhile Indian Dairy Corporation.
• Spread over a 60-acre campus.

IRMA’s Role Post-Establishment of the University:

• The IRMA society will be dissolved.
• IRMA will become one of the schools of the new university, designated as a Centre of Excellence for rural management.
• Its autonomy and identity will be preserved.