Largest varsity in South-Asia, Bangalore University splits into three
- Bengaluru, Bengaluru Central University to commence work today.
- New administration building to come up at Devanahalli for Bengaluru North University.
- Process of appointing VCs, faculty, administrative staff will commence on Saturday.
- Separate admission notices to be published for the new academic year for the 625 affiliated colleges.
FollowThe Bangalore University, prided as the South-Asia’s biggest university with over 625 affiliated colleges, has been officially split into three and two varsities will start functioning independently from today July 1.
The Bangalore University will continue to work from its existing Jnana Bharathi Campus at Kengeri. The Bangalore Central University will commence operating from Central College. For Bangalore North a new administration building will be set up at Devanahalli.
The process of appointing new vice-chancellors, administration staff, and faculty for the two new universities will commence from July1. The State government has already allocated funds for the new universities; Rs 10 crore for BU (Central) and Rs15 crore for BU (North).
The move to split Bangalore University into three varsities started in 2015 with the State Legislative Assembly passing an amendment to Karnataka State Universities Act 2000, and the Governor approving it.  The intention was to bring reforms in the administration system of the University and improve the academic standards.
With the split formalities officially enforced, admission notices to all three new varsities will be published separately; it was decided at a meeting of the senior officials of the Higher Education Department.
The call for dividing the university was actually given in 1993. When N R Shetty was the VC, the first proposal was mooted but due to strong resistance the call died down.  Again it surfaced in 2009 during BJP government’s ruling, when Higher Education Minister Aravind Limbavali constituted a committee headed by former VC Prof N Rudraiah to look into the issue. The committee recommended the split. However it was not implemented.
Later when C T Ravi became the Higher Education Minister, he constituted another new committee, which, based on the recommendations of the earlier committee recommended bifurcation. It suggested instituting a new DVG Jnana Vahini, along with the bifurcated universities. The amended bill was passed by the legislative assembly also. However the then Governor H R Bharadwaj did not approve the recommendations and returned it unsigned.
The Congress government that came to power next formulated a committee headed by UVCE principal K R Venugopal, which recommended 5 way division of the university. The Finance Department did not consent for this division and hence it was dropped. The Congress government again formed a legislative subcommittee headed by Minister R V Deshpande, which recommended 4 way split of the university.
Finally, the government approved the split and passed the amendment.
The Vidhana Sabha constitutions coming under various varsities are:
Bangalore University - Vijayanagar, Padmanabhanagar, Bommanahalli, Anekal, Bengaluru South, Yeshwantpur, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Dasarahalli, Mahalakshmi Extension, Govindarajanagar. In Bengaluru Rural- Nelamanagala, Ramanagar district Magadi, Ramanagar, Kanakapura, all colleges coming under Channapattana legislative assembly.
Bangalore Central University - Bengaluru Shanthinagar, Byatarayanapur, Yelahanka, Malleshwaram, Hebbala, Shivajinagar, Gandhinagar, Chamarajapet, Basavanagudi, BTM Layout, Jayanagar, all colleges under Rajajinagar assembly constituencies.
Bangalore North University - Srinivasapur, Mulabagil, Kolar Gold Field, Bangarapet, Kolar, Malur and Kolar Post Graduate Centre, Bengaluru Urban district K R Puram, Pulakeshinagar, Sarvajnanagar, C V Raman Nagar, Mahdevapur. Chikkaballapur district Gauribidanur, Bagepalli, Chikkaballapur, Shidlaghatta, Chinthamani, Bengaluru Rural district Devanahalli, Doddaballapur and all colleges under Hosakote legislative assembly constituency.
