Karnataka has proposed establishing a tribal university near Chitradurga on 120 acres to support the educational, social and economic development of tribal communities, State Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare T. Raghumurthy said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Raghumurthy said the proposed university would study tribal art, languages, literature, culture and traditional knowledge. The project is intended to create an institutional base for higher education and research focused on tribal communities and their ways of life.
The minister said a proposal for the university had already been submitted. The project will be taken forward after discussions with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, he said. The report did not specify the proposed site, estimated cost, construction schedule, governing structure or the university’s expected date of commencement.
According to Raghumurthy, the institution will encourage research into the lifestyles, social development, economic development and other systems associated with tribal communities. It will also offer skill-based education and professional courses aimed at creating employment opportunities.
The proposed campus therefore combines two functions: preserving and studying tribal knowledge and culture, and expanding access to education and job-linked training. The minister said the university would support the educational, social and economic advancement of tribal communities, although details of admissions, course capacity and the communities to be covered were not provided in the report.
The location near Chitradurga would make land allocation and campus development the first major steps in converting the proposal into a functioning institution. The 120-acre land requirement indicates that the plan involves a substantial university campus rather than a limited research centre, but the available information does not establish whether land has been formally transferred or whether construction has begun.
The announcement came during the minister’s response to questions about the selection of recipients for the Maharshi Valmiki Award. Addressing objections raised by former MP V.S. Ugrappa, Raghumurthy said all selected recipients had achieved distinction in different fields and had served the community. He said the recipients had spoken for marginalised people and that no one lacking eligibility had been given the award.
The next formal milestone for the university is a discussion between the minister and the chief minister after which the proposal is expected to be taken forward. Further decisions on land, approvals, funding, academic programmes and construction remain to be announced.
