The foundation stone for Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University, India’s first Technology and Vocational Education and Training (T-VET) university, was laid here at Bholaguri in Gohpur by the Union Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman. The institute is positioned as a tech-based vocational education university focused on training students in emerging trades such as AI, Cybersecurity, DroneTech, Quantum Computing, Machine Learning, Blockchain, and Smart City technology.
The university is to be constructed on 731 bighas, with a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly campus infrastructure designed to accommodate around 10,000 students in the long run. Initially, the campus will feature academic blocks for 2,000 students, 1,620 student hostel rooms, and residential provisions for faculty, including guest houses and amenities that blend perfectly with nature, it said. This is one of Assam’s significant strides in the field of education, as a sum of ₹500 crore has been sanctioned for Phase 1, and another budgetary provision of ₹500 crore has been accorded for Phase 2.
Established in the name of 17-year-old freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua, who attained martyrdom in the Quit India movement of 1942 while leading a procession at Gohpur, the institution embodies empowerment. With its campuses rooted in both history and modernity, it stands as a testament to the legacy of this remarkable individual. The university will be a monument to Barua’s soul and will offer a platform for young minds to gain impetus towards technology, helping to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat, said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Several efforts are currently being made to enhance academic collaboration with foreign institutions, including negotiations with Japanese universities that wish to offer dual-degree programs.
The university at Bholaguri Tea Estate, where freedom movement doyen Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala reached and met the exiled Indian National Army members led by Netaji, is historical. The government’s vision is to create an institution of world-class calibre that will promote technological skills and vocational education related to current and emerging industry requirements, to produce a pool of skilled, future-ready workforce. This foundation represents a significant step toward transforming vocational education in India by leveraging new technologies and promoting environmentally friendly, sustainable growth in higher education infrastructure.