Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education (HTE) department has asked Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) to shift all its establishments from the campus of Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT).

LIT, which is a conducted college of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), recently got the status of Unitary Public University. With A+, the decks were cleared for the institute to become autonomous. As per rule, once the institute gets A+ grade from NAAC, it becomes eligible to get autonomy.

In a public speech, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had vowed to provide LIT the status of University, like the College of Engineering Pune (CoEP). LIT had sent a proposal to the State Government seeking Unitary Public University status, which would allow LIT to start courses of particular speciality. For this, LIT needs more space on its campus. At present, RTMNU has its examination section, Mandela Hostel, the building given to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (on the right side at the entrance), the hall set up by RTMNU Employees Union (on left side at the entrance), Post Graduate Department of Microbiology, Post Graduate Department of Biochemistry and Rajiv Gandhi Biotechnology. The Higher and Technical Education department in its letter sent to Registrar of RTMNU has given reference of the letter by Director of LIT and the report submitted by Dr G D Yadava. The letter has clearly instructed RTMNU to vacate the LIT campus. It has also asked university to transfer all the teaching posts to LIT and get option from non-teaching staff whether they want to stay with RTMNU or go with LIT.

In a special instruction the department told RTMNU to handover the building where the work of examination and result is going on to LIT. It has directed RTMNU to submit the proposal for new building where it can continue its examination-related work. University is expected to transfer the corpus fund to LIT, the letter made it clear.

Meanwhile, Dr Raju Mankar, Director of LIT had already sent the proposals to state Government which says, ‘The institute is planning to start 14 new courses. The courses are not necessarily of chemical engineering. They are mostly of emerging trends like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Sciences etc. It has also proposed to start Centre of Excellence and introduce changes suggested in National Education Policy (NEP). It will also start running Incubation Centre.

Ajay Deshpande, the past President of LIT Alumni Association welcomed the development and attributed its credit to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who pursued the matter. Deshpande pointed out that it was Fadnavis who brought Indian Institute of Management at Nagpur, and other national level institutes to Nagpur. Now with LIT getting status of Unitary Public University is a big thing for Nagpurians. We hope that from this academic year LIT will function as Unitary Public University. “It is been a long pending and much-needed move to make a prestigious institute, an independent university. We have many such plans adding specialsations. Our strong well placed alumni network will be our USP for placements,” expressed Madhav Labhe, Chairman of LITAA.