NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to establish a central tribal university in Telangana for providing higher education and research facilities primarily for the tribal population.

The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed unanimously through a voice vote after the Opposition earlier walked out of the House in the middle of the debate over the security breach issue in the Lok Sabha.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 4 and was passed on December 7.

Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the establishment of a central tribal university in Telangana was obligatory under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 presented in the lower house, the establishment of the ‘Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University’ in Telangana will cater to the regional aspirations for years to come.

“Sammakka Sarakka Tribal University in Telangana will cater to the regional aspirations for years to come, promote higher education and research among tribal communities, including in subjects such as tribal art, culture, customs and traditional knowledge systems. The university will be a harbinger of progress for our tribal brothers and sisters across states,” Pradhan said.

The minister blamed the Telangana government for the delay in setting up the university in the state, saying it took too much time to identify a suitable location for the institution. He stated that the central university will cost the exchequer about ₹900 crore.