JNTUK to become Gurajada University, named after notable playwright and social reformer from Vizianagaram

The institute is being run with seven BTech, six MTech and one MCA programme, with as many as 1,800 students and 250 teaching faculty
JNTUK (Pic: jntukcev.ac.in)
JNTUK (Pic: jntukcev.ac.in)

The JNTUK University College of Engineering in Vizianagaram, which is being run under the aegis of the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University-Kakinada, will now be renamed Gurajada University. As part of the policy to establish one university in each district, the state government has issued a Government Order, upgrading the status of the engineering college to a full-fledged university.

It may be recalled that former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh late Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy had sanctioned the engineering college for Vizianagaram in 2007. The then government had allotted nearly 80 acres of land for the college on the outskirts of Dwarapudi village in Vizianagaram. In the meantime, JNTUK started conducting classes temporarily at the Government Polytechnic College with five programmes in Engineering. Subsequently, the management had relocated the campus to the newly constructed buildings at Dwarapudi in 2010. Today, the campus is being run with seven BTech, six MTech and one MCA programme, with as many as 1,800 students and 250 teaching faculty.

After the YSRC party came to power in 2019, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy put a special focus on the development of the JNTUK's Vizianagaram campus. Following the Chief Minister's directions, the government has sanctioned 24.94 crores towards the construction of necessary new buildings in the campus. It may be recalled that the Minister for Education, Adimulapu Suresh, on January 12, laid the foundation stone for the upcoming buildings, along with the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Botsa Satyanarayana. 

On the occasion, Satyanarayana assured the JNTU administration of allotting another 40 acres of land towards the university's expansion. He also said that the 80-feet road from National Highway 26 to the JNTU campus will be extended. The minister further assured the management of sanctioning funds towards research, auditorium and administrative buildings.

Speaking to the media, the MA&UD minister said that CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will most likely inaugurate the university in February. Speaking to TNIE, G Swaminaidu, Principal, JNTUK Vizianagaram campus, said, "Naming the university after notable playwright and social reformer from Vizianagaram, Gurajada Apparao, is the real tribute to him." 

"Once upgraded to university, we will get a chance to enhance the programmes, augment research collaboration and other infrastructure," he said and added that the university can help improve educational and employment opportunities in the district. At least 40 engineering colleges in North Andhra will come under the university's purview, he added. "The university will benefit students of the region as they need not travel to the parent campus for admission and other academic-related issues," Swaminaidu said.

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