The Punjab Cabinet on Monday approved the establishment of private self-financed Plaksha University in Mohali. The university will set up research centers to help and solve some of the biggest challenges of the region, including digital health, digital agriculture, cybersecurity and the future of mobility.

The university will be equipped with contemporary technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of Things, robotics, and data science. The university will become functional from the academic session 2021-22.

It will have an annual intake of 300-400 students in the beginning, and up to 1500 students when the campus is fully established.

This decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh through video conferencing. The Cabinet gave the nod to the draft of ‘The Plaksha University Ordinance 2021’ and authorised CM Singh to approve the final draft.

The university is being established on a 50.12-acre state-of-the-art campus at Mohali’s SAS Nagar, with an investment of Rs 244 crore in phase-1 and a total of Rs 1145 crore over five years.

The Punjab government has made it mandatory to reserve 15 per cent of seats exclusively for students from Punjab. A full tuition fee concession to not less than 5 per cent of the total strength from among the candidates belonging to the weaker sections of the society will be provided.

The university would be recruiting teaching and non-teaching staff as per UGC Guidelines. It would also undertake industry-oriented teaching, training, and research extension programmes, to provide employable skills with a view to contributing to the development of the society, the varsity said.

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