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Maharashtra Approves 17 New Professional Colleges for Tribal Districts

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved 17 new professional colleges in tribal, hilly, and backward districts to enhance skill-based education. The colleges will offer Engineering, Architecture, Hotel Management, and B.Voc courses across seven identified districts. The government has also decided to ban new pharmacy colleges until 2030-31 to maintain quality. Additionally, the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University has trained over 61,000 students in industry-friendly skills.

Key Points: Maharashtra Approves 17 Professional Colleges in Backward Districts

  • 17 new professional colleges approved for 7 backward districts
  • Focus on Engineering, Architecture, Hotel Management and B.Voc courses
  • No new pharmacy colleges allowed until 2030-31
  • Over 61,000 students trained under Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University
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Maharashtra approves 17 professional colleges for tribal and hilly districts

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis approves 17 new professional colleges in tribal and backward districts to boost skill-based education and regional development.

"We are focusing on making our youth employment-ready by developing new curricula that meet the demands of modern industry. - Devendra Fadnavis"

Mumbai, May 14

In a major move to boost skill-based education and regional development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved 17 new professional colleges in tribal, hilly and backward districts of the state.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Maharashtra State Higher Education and Development Commission (MAHED) chaired by the Chief Minister.

According to an official release, priority approval has been granted for 17 new colleges specialising in Engineering, Architecture, Hotel Management and Catering Technology (HMCT) and B.Voc courses across seven identified districts.

Fadnavis said education must evolve in line with changing industrial requirements and emerging employment opportunities.

To ensure balanced regional growth, the government is prioritising the establishment of professional institutions in Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Hingoli, Washim, Dharashiv, Sindhudurg and Parbhani districts.

The state government has also decided that no new B.Pharmacy or D.Pharmacy institutions will be permitted until the academic year 2030-31.

The release stated that emphasis is being laid on updating the education system to align with industrial needs and modern technological advancements.

New skill development centres have also been sanctioned to bridge the gap between "human capital" and "talent capital", it added.

According to the release, Engineering and B.Voc colleges will be established across all seven priority districts.

Architecture colleges will be prioritised in Dharashiv and Parbhani, while HMCT institutes are planned for Nandurbar and Sindhudurg.

The Chief Minister highlighted the integration of the National Education Policy (NEP), with a focus on multidisciplinary learning.

He directed traditional colleges to introduce Social Work as an independent faculty to broaden students' skill sets.

"We are focusing on making our youth employment-ready by developing new curricula that meet the demands of modern industry. Through the Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skill University, over 61,000 students have already been trained in industry-friendly skills," Fadnavis said.

Approval was also granted to the master plan of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (BATU) for the 2025-2031 period.

The university has been directed to partner with industries for research and advanced laboratories, modernise its curriculum to match industry standards and limit intake capacity to maintain educational quality.

Further, to prevent over-saturation and ensure quality control, the state government has decided not to permit new pharmacy colleges or allow an increase in intake capacity in existing institutions from the academic year 2027-28 to 2030-31.

The directive will be formally communicated to the Central Government and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the release added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Good move by Fadnavis ji. But I wonder about implementation - will these colleges actually get good faculty and infrastructure? Many such initiatives end up as just buildings without quality teaching. Let's hope the government ensures proper staffing and industry partnerships as mentioned.
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Vikram M
The ban on new pharmacy colleges until 2031 seems sensible. Too many pharmacy colleges have mushroomed without proper quality. But why not focus on engineering too? We already have so many engineering colleges with low placements. HMCT and architecture are good choices for hilly areas like Sindhudurg for tourism potential.
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Priya S
Finally some attention to tribal districts! 🙌 My village in Nandurbar has no college for miles. But I worry about fees - will these colleges be affordable for poor families? And what about basic schools? You can't have professional colleges if kids don't even complete 10th standard. Need holistic development.
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Rohit P
NEP integration is the right way forward. Multidisciplinary learning and social work as independent faculty - these are modern needs. But 61,000 trained at Ratan Tata Skill University is impressive. If we can combine traditional knowledge with modern skills, our tribal youth can truly shine. ✨
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Michael C
As someone who studied engineering in Mumbai and now works in IT, I think the focus on HMCT and architecture is smart. Hilly areas have tourism potential. But why not include agriculture-based courses? Many tribal districts are agrarian. Still, any step towards education equality is welcome.

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