Special knowledge zones to turn Gujarat into education hub
Govt to create SKZs and invite industries to build colleges, institutes; 1st zones at A’bad, Surat, Vadodara & Rajkot likely.
The Gujarat government is planning to create Special Knowledge Zones (SKZ) where industries would be encouraged to set up institutes for technical education and institutions of higher learning.
The first knowledge zones of the state are likely to be created near the four major cities of the state — Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot.
Unlike the policy in Special Economic Zones (SEZ), industries will be given land and facilities at subsidised rates in the knowledge zones to encourage them to set up colleges and other educational institutions.
Principal secretary, state education department, Hasmukh Adhia, had hinted about the knowledge zones at a seminar on ‘higher education and skill development in Gujarat’ held recently at the GMDC auditorium in the city. Giving details of the government’s plans, Adhia told DNA that a steering committee comprising senior officials drawn from the state’s industry and education departments had been formed to give shape to the proposed knowledge zones.
“The task of identifying and acquiring land for the SKZ will be done by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation [GIDC],” Adhia said. “Initially, we plan to acquire land near the four major cities of the state — Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot. We are looking for a minimum of 200 acres of land near each city.”
Adhia said the land will be allotted to industries “for retail educational purposes only”, i.e., for colleges, technical institutes, and for institutes giving training in specialised courses. He said that, as of now, there was no plan to have large institutions like the IIMs or the IITs in the knowledge zones.
“The distribution of land for retail educational purposes will ensure that each SKZ has institutions of different kind, including schools, colleges and institutes for specialised courses,” Adhia said.
“The distribution of land will be done by a special committee set up by the GIDC. Land may be made available at subsidised rates for setting up of institutions for higher education.”