Maya’s dream university to reserve seats for poor upper caste students

August 24, 2008: The Indian Express 

Greater Noida, August 23 Giving an indication of her social engineering skills, UP Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday inaugurated her ‘dream project’, Gautam Buddha University in Greater Noida, and announced the varsity’s plans for reservation for students from financially weaker sections of upper castes.
Mayawati made the announcement while addressing a conference and a large gathering of experts and professors from other colleges and universities of the state.

A final decision on the matter is yet to be taken.

Mayawati is a member of the university’s management committee, and the special quota for upper castes is the first of its kind in the state after Rajasthan announced similar reservations a few months ago.

According to officials, it will be the only varsity in the country to offer only post-graduate courses, on the lines of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Inaugurating the university’s first phase, Mayawati also kicked off the first MBA session. Developed in record three months, the MBA course would have a fee structure equal to the IIMs, officials said. Other departments would begin in phases.

Vice-Chancellor R S Nirjar said, “Biotechnology, Biotechnics, and Medical Science departments would begin by 2010.¶ The university, the V-C said, would eventually have a capacity of 25,000 students.

The university is sponsored by Noida and Greater Noida Authorities, and supported by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Gautam Buddha University highlights
* Under direct control of UP Chief Minister, unlike other varsities
* Quota for candidates from financially weak upper castes; final decision yet to be taken
* Spread over 511 acres: residential campus for 5,000 students and 500 faculty members
* All departments to have separate hostels
* More than 20,000 trees make it “one of the greenest campuses¶
* Centre has announced university would get status of a central university. Courses to be conducted as per curriculum prescribed by government norms
* Plans to send meritorious students to foreign universities; introduce scholarships by entering into collaborations with other universities
* Campus designed by C P Kukreja and Associates, qwhich has designed JNU, IIM-Lucknow, Pathways World School, and the underground stations of Delhi Metro among other international award-winning projects
* TOTAL PROJECT COST: Rs 5,000 crore