Budget 2021-22: Punjab to establish 19 new universities

The Punjab government has allocated a whopping amount of Rs 2.30 billion for the establishment of 19 new universities across Punjab.

The Pakistan Tehreek I Insaf (PTI) led Punjab government on Monday presented its 3rd budget for the fiscal year 2021-22. As per the budget document, the Punjab government has decided to allocate a budget for establishing 15 new universities in different cities and districts of the province.

The budget document further reveals that universities will be set up in smaller cities including Pakpattan, Taunsa, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Attock, Bahawalnagar, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Kasur, SHiekhupura, Gujranwala, Kamalia and Bhakkar.
The names of the universities were also mentioned in the budget. University of Taunsa, Baba Farid University Pakpattan, Engineering University Sialkot, University of Hafizabad, University of Attock, University of Bahawalnagar, University of Layyah, University of Muzaffargarh, Indus University Rajanpur, University of Kasur, Waris Shah University Sheikhupura, University of Gujranwala, University of Kamalia and Thal University Bhakkar will be established.

The PTI government in its manifesto before taking charge of the government announced to establish a university in every district of Punjab. The announcement was also made by Punjab Higher Education Minister Raja Yasir Hamayun. After the allocation of this amount, the party may fulfil its promise.

However, education circles are not happy with the establishment of so many universities and demanded the government to focus on already existing universities. They also asked the government to increase the capacity building of previously established universities. The decision of the government to convert colleges into universities was also criticized by education circles.