Patidar organisation Sardardham, which saw a record number of eight out of 25 candidates from Gujarat clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam recently, looks to expand its footprint by setting up a private university in Ahmedabad.
The objective of the new university will be to offer quality education at affordable cost to the youth. “Our aim is to create a standard and match up with some of the existing reputed private universities in Gujarat. The irony is that 90 per cent of private universities are exploiting students even as most of these lack quality teaching staff,” Sardardham vice-president Trikambhai Zalavadiya told The Indian Express. Currently, there are 108 universities, including 65 private and 16 public, in Gujarat.
The organisation, where Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is the founder trustee, has an impressive track record of running coaching and training classes for civil services and other various government competitive examinations. Since 2018, more than 3,200 youths who had enrolled at Sardardham’s Sudha Jashvant Ambalal Civil Service centre have been appointed to Class-1 to 3 posts across 24 departments of the state government. Recently, it also started a skill development centre in collaboration with the state’s Kaushalya Skill University in Ahmedabad.
The organisation is already in talks with the state government for submitting its proposal for the university.
The proposal would have been submitted but as per the norms a minimum of five acres is required to open a university, says Zalavadiya. “The land at Sardardham falls short of this norm. Hence, currently, we are in talks with the state government to purchase land in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar,” Trikambhai said.
Sardardham, which has members from both Kadva and Leuva communities, was set up for the holistic development of the Patidar community with an emphasis on long-term social, economic and educational progress. It has set a target of 10,000 girls and boys to be selected for UPSC, Gujarat Public Service Commission, defence services and other administrative services.
The community organisation with its 14,000-square-metre complex in Ahmedabad near Vaishno Devi circle is recognised by its 50-feet tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in bronze standing at the entrance of the complex and facing the Sardar Patel Ring Road.
The foundation of the complex was laid by then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the first phase that was completed at a cost of Rs 200 crore, including the Sardardham Bhawan, in 2021. Then, he also laid the foundation of Rs 200-crore worth Sardardham Phase II, including a women’s hostel.
The organisation is setting up similar campuses as Sardardham in Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Mehsana and Navi Mumbai in the coming years. While the Vadodara complex is ready, possession of land has been completed in Rajkot and Mehsana. The land possession process is underway in Navi Mumbai. In Surat, construction work has already started.
According to the Gujarat Private Universities Act 2009, the proposal submitted for a private university goes to a scrutiny committee formed by the state government. The committee, in turn, submits its report to the government within a period of three months from the date of referring the new proposal. If the government is satisfied with the report, it may issue a letter of intent or call further details from the sponsoring body or reject the proposal.
If the government is satisfied that the sponsoring body of the proposed varsity has complied with the conditions of the letter of intent, the university is approved through appropriate legislation.
