Bill Summary

The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University Bill, 2025

  • The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University Bill, 2025 was introduced in Lok Sabha on February 3, 2025.  The Bill seeks to establish the Institute of Rural Management Anand, Gujarat (IRMA) as the “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University.  Currently, IRMA is registered as a society.
  • Objectives of the University:  The University will provide education, training, and capacity building in the cooperative sector and undertake research and development activities in related areas.  It will offer degree programs, distance learning and e-learning courses, and develop centres of excellence in co-operative sector.  It may establish outlying campuses or affiliate institutes in any other place in India or outside India.
  • Status of IRMA:  IRMA will become one of the schools of the University.  The Bill states that the autonomous identity of IRMA will be preserved within the institutional framework of the University.  IRMA’s administrative and academic autonomy will be subject to the framework specified by the central government.  IRMA will have its own Executive Board and a Director.  Employees of IRMA will become the employees of the University, with no change in their terms and conditions of employment.  Any modification in the ongoing academic programmes and courses at IRMA may be made only with the concurrence of the Executive Board of IRMA.  The Bill also declares IRMA as a centre of excellence for rural management. 
  • Governance of the University:  The University will have a Vice-Chancellor, who will be the principal executive and academic officer of the University.  The Vice-Chancellor will be appointed by the central government for a term of three years, and will be eligible for re-appointment for another two years.  The Vice-Chancellor will head the Executive Council which will be the principal executive body of the University.  The central government will specify details for the constitution of the Council, its powers and functions, and terms of office of its members.
  • The University will have a Governing Board whose key functions include: (i) reviewing broad policies and programmes of the University, and (ii) nominating members to its various administrative councils.  The Board will be headed by the Chancellor, who will be a person of eminence and will be appointed by the central government.  The Chancellor will have a term of five years.  Other members of the Governing Board include: (i) Vice-Chancellor, (ii) Secretary to the Cooperation Ministry, (iii) four Secretaries of the central ministries dealing with cooperative sector, (iv) heads of boards such as NABARD, National Dairy Development Board, and National Fisheries Development Board, (v) four eminent persons in the field of cooperatives.
  • Board for Affiliation and Recognition:  The University will have a Board for Affiliation and Recognition for admitting or affiliating institutes.  This Board will be headed by the Vice-Chancellor.

 

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