Punjab Cabinet approves establishment of Lamrin Tech Skills University in SBS Nagar District

Chandigarh, September 17, 2021: To strengthen industry-oriented teaching, skill training and research in the state, the Punjab Cabinet on Friday approved the establishment of Private Self-Financed ‘Lamrin Tech Skills University’ at Railmajra in Balachaur (SBS Nagar).
 
This decision, which will pave the way for the development of the region as a major skill and technological hub, was taken during a virtual Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The university will become functional from this academic session.
 
The Cabinet gave the nod to the draft of ‘‘Lamrin Tech Skills University  Ordinance 2021’, and authorized the Chief Minister to approve the final draft prepared by the Legal Remembrancer, without placing it again before the Council of Ministers.
 
The upcoming self-financed ‘Lamrin Tech Skills University’, being established as a research and skill development university over an area of 81 acre, will be developed at a village Railmajra in SBS district, with an investment of Rs. 1630 crore over five years. It will have an annual intake of 1000-1100 students when the campus is fully established.
 
The University would be instrumental in imparting world-class higher education to students to empower them to compete globally and be gainfully equipped. It would also provide instructions, teaching, education, research and training at all levels in disciplines of higher education, including specifically designed skill intensive programmes in engineering, management, medical technology skills, vocational education and other skill based programmes in collaboration with industry and foreign universities. The programmes will be designed as per the needs of the industry and the society in general, as deemed necessary by the University and permissible under the state or central law and with the approval of the concerned Regulatory Authority.
 
The Punjab government has made it mandatory to reserve 15% seats exclusively for students from Punjab in the upcoming University, and full tuition fee concession/freeship to not less than 5% of the total strength from among the candidates belonging to the weaker sections of the society, as part of the ordinance and its terms and conditions.
 
It may be recalled that the Higher Education department had issued a Letter of Intent after considering the proposal and adopting the required procedure as per the provisions of Punjab Private Universities Policy-2010 to the sponsoring body on July 7, 2020, followed by a comprehensive proposal for setting up of a private self-financed ‘Lamrin Tech Skills University’ received from Rayat Educational and Research Trust, Village-Railmajra in Tehsil Balachaur of S.B.S. Nagar District. 
 
 
RE-PROMULGATION OF PLAKSHA UNIVERSITY, PUNJAB ORDINANCE-2021
The Cabinet also accorded its approval to re-promulgate the Plaksha University, Punjab Ordinance-2021 for the establishment of Private Self-Financed ‘Plaksha University’ in Mohali’s IT city.
 
The Ordinance was issued on August 20, 2021, but it could not be converted into an Act of the State Legislature in the last session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, and as per the advice of the Legal Remembrancer (LR), this ordinance would cease to the operate on the expiry of a period of six weeks from the re-assembly of the Vidhan Sabha. On the advice of LR, the Cabinet thus approved its re-promulgation.
 
During the Cabinet meeting, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi called for implementation of the reservation policy in the university while Health Minister Balbir Sidhu suggested giving preference in employment for certain categories to residents of Mohali. The Chief Minister asked the department to consider all these issues.
 
APPROVES TAKING OVER OF NATIONAL COLLEGE FOR WOMEN, MACHHIWARA 
 
Further, to affordable and quality education to the students of the region, the Cabinet also approved taking over National College for Women, Machhiwara, in Tehsil Samrala of Ludhiana district as Government College (Women), Machhiwara, Samrala (Ludhiana). The move is in line with the decision of the State Government of having a Government college in each sub-division of the state. It will also help in increasing the Gross Enrollment Ratio of the State.