• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, July 27, 2022 : Despite introduction of new departments and increasing students’ intake capacity, the Tripura University – lone central university in the state, failed to register its name among top 100 universities in the NIRF ranking 2022.

It failed to host any convocation programmes, acquire NAAC’s ‘A’ grade category; leading to closure of the Distance Education department.

According to the University’s notification on May 19 last for admission under CUET (PG) 2022-23 academic session, 48 courses in 45 departments are functioning at present with a total intake capacity of 1,767 seats excluding the 10 percent reservation for students hailing from economically weaker sections.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) categorised Tripura University with ‘B’ Grade on November 15, 2015. Later, the NAAC PR team was scheduled to visit in 2020, but due to COVID pandemic, the officials failed to come to Tripura University for two years. Sources informed that the NAAC PR team is coming on August 01 next for a three-day tour. Even the Distance Education department was closed in the premises of the central university in February, 2020 as per the new guidelines introduced by the UGC, sources added.

The lone central university in Tripura failed to register its name among top 100 universities in rankings released by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) under the ministry of Education recently. Tripura University remained unfortunate in 2022 while in 2020, this university was ranked 88th position.

Although, five universities in the Northeast from Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram have secured ranking among the top 100 universities. The universities which have secured rankings are Tezpur University at 39 rank, Gauhati University at 47 ranking, North Eastern Hill University at 49 ranking, Mizoram University at 49 ranking and Dibrugarh University at 84th rank.

Apart from this, Convocation programme of the Tripura University was last organized in 2018 in presence of M Venkaiah Naidu, vice-president of India and before that, 9th convocation was held in 2012 when the then vice-president of India, Md Hamid Ansari conferred honorary degree D.Litt to the Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Sources informed that the convocation programme will be organized this year.

A higher official of the Tripura University in conditions of anonymity told Northeast Today that this central university is lagging behind and deprived of gaining due privileges among the higher educational institutions across the country for a section of employees lacking a sense of belongingness.

The official said “All teachers, staff, employees should have a sense of belongingness. They must feel that the university is their part and parcel, they are working here. They are getting a salary, they are surviving, etc. Tripura University should be treated as their own home. Most of them have a sense of belongingness, but a few are there who don’t feel that this university should grow. They may not like the higher officials, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is criticized. In a home, there are four or five siblings, all cannot be satisfied. Even in this university, there are some people like this. If the teachers, staff and other employees become sincere and conscientious, then only the university can usher new paths of development, and stick bright and colourful feathers on its hat. University is a team work. A team of administration alone cannot take it to newer heights.”

The former Vice-Chancellor of Tripura University Dr Vijaykumar Laxmikantrao Dharurkar in December 2018 claimed to have introducing 11 courses after the approval of the United Grants Commission in the Tripura University with a vision to develop the students’ personality, generation of employment easily, bridging gap between urban and rural and to face globalization in a brilliant manner. But four out of 11 courses were introduced and these are – Master of Archaeology and Ancient Indian Culture, Master of Tourism Development, Master of Liberal Arts, and Master of Biotechnology.

The courses of the Master of Social Work with special reference to Social Development, MA in Entrepreneurship Development for Textile, Master in Bamboo plants, Master in Mythology, Master of Hospital Management, Master of Nano-Technology, and Master of Yoga Studies are yet to be opened.