Decks have been cleared for the constitution of Jharkhand’s first state-owned open university following governor Ramesh Bais’s nod on Monday.

Confirming the development, director in the higher and technical education department, A. Muthu Kumar, said: “We have received the governor’s approval and now it would be sent to the University Grants Commission for its affiliation.”

Sources in the chief minister’s secretariat said the opening of the state’s first tribal university and open university were the two pet projects of Hemant Soren ever since he became the chief minister in 2019.

“Despite the pandemonium created by the Opposition over the allocation of separate rooms for namaz during the recent monsoon session of the Jharkhand Assembly in September, the chief minister was determined and the

House passed the Jharkhand State Open University Bills 2021 and sent to the governor in October.

“It will be sent soon to the UGC for affiliation as the government is keen to ensure the reach of higher education among students in remote rural regions who cannot afford normal classroom studies,” said an official in the CM’s secretariat.

Chief minister Hemant Soren with the tribal students selected for overseas scholarship in UK universities at Ranchi in September.

Former vice-chancellor of Kolhan University Shukla Mahanty, who had sought permission to start an open university at Kolhan University in Chaibasa during her tenure, termed it a dream come true for rural students.

“It would be the first such open university in the state. We had one in Nalanda in erstwhile Bihar. It would open avenues for working students. Since it is a state government university, getting affiliation from UGC would not pose much problem. We hope that it kick-starts soon with a good set of faculties and administrators,” Mahanty said.

Sources in the higher and technical education department said there would be two academic sessions — the first from January and the second from July.

“An officer on special duty will be appointed soon by the governor on the proposal of higher and technical education department. After that, a proposal will be sent to the UGC for recognition. As soon as the recognition is received, two sessions in the university i.e. the first session will be started from January and the second session from July,” sources said.

Efforts are being made by the department to start classes from the July 2022-23 session.

“There are plans to start a total of 16 courses. The department of higher and technical education has also given its consent to open a temporary office of the varsity on the Jharkhand University of Technology campus at Namkum near Ranchi. In this university too, the appointment of vice-chancellor, registrar and finance officer will be done by the governor-cum-chancellor,” sources said.

The university will have certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Students can enroll for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Hindi, English, regional language, tribal language, history, political science and economics besides BEd, MEd, BBA, MBA courses.

Certificate and diploma courses in health care, journalism and mass communication, tourism and hospitality service management, vocational courses, gender and development studies, social work and tribal studies have also been planned.