The Karnataka government’s plan to set up a new integrated agriculture-horticulture university in Mandya has sparked controversy, as it coincides with a reported proposal to shut down nine universities due to financial constraints. While the state cabinet has greenlit the new university, a sub-committee led by Deputy CM DK Shivakumar is considering closing institutions, including one in Mandya.
A contradiction in policy?
With preparations already in motion and a special officer appointed, CM Siddaramaiah is expected to lay the foundation stone soon. However, critics, including former Mandya University VC Prof. Puttaraju, question the logic behind shutting down a well-performing university in the same district. “Student enrollment has nearly doubled from 2,600 in 2020 to 4,500 in 2024, and the university is self-sustaining,” he said.
Political storm brews
The BJP, under whose tenure the targeted universities were set up, accused the Congress government of “double standards” and vendetta politics. “This is an attempt to erase BJP’s contributions,” claimed former minister CN Ashwath Narayan. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy defended the new university, saying it was for Mandya’s welfare and dismissing BJP’s stance as political opportunism.
Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar clarified that no final decision has been made on the closures, with discussions still underway in the cabinet.
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