“We are offering attractive incentives to establish universities in underdeveloped areas. We are also considering setting up an IIIT (Indian Institute of Information Technology) in Kanigiri.” Nara Lokesh AP Education Minister 

■ The government aims to bring leading foreign universities like the University of Tokyo and AME University (Philippines) to Andhra Pradesh

■ The state is set to launch a Deep Tech University in Amaravati in collaboration with Tata Group, L&T, IIT Madras, and the University of Tokyo

■ Meanwhile, plans are underway to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) University in Visakhapatnam and a Sports University in Amaravati.

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

The Andhra Pradesh government is making significant strides toward attracting renowned private and foreign universities to the state, with a vision to transform it into a global education hub. Education, IT, and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh announced that the state cabinet has approved the establishment of the prestigious Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) in Amaravati, allocating 70 acres for the project.

Presenting the Private Universities Establishment and Regulation (Amendment) Bill – 2025 in the State Assembly, Minister Lokesh highlighted the growing importance of private and foreign universities in India's education sector. He pointed out that the central government is actively encouraging foreign universities to set up campuses in the country.

“Members of this house have expressed their desire to bring top international universities to Andhra Pradesh. The existing private universities law, enacted in 2016 and amended five times by the previous government, contains provisions that conflict with UGC guidelines. For example, the requirement that Greenfield universities must have a joint degree program with a top 100 global university needs revision,” he explained.  

Talks are ongoing with various private institutions through the Economic Development Board, and several international universities have shown interest, he added. The government is committed to expanding higher education opportunities beyond Amaravati and Visakhapatnam to other regions, including Rayalaseema.

Addressing concerns about Andhra Kesari University in Prakasam district, which was established in 2022 without sanctioned faculty positions, the minister assured that the government would work on strengthening the university’s infrastructure and staffing. “Donors have expressed interest in contributing to the development of public universities. A dedicated mechanism will be created to facilitate this,” he added.

He highlighted former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for decentralized development, which led to the establishment of Centurion University in Visakhapatnam with 75 acres of land, 4.75 lakh sq. ft. of built-up space, and 133 faculty members training 2,550 students across 23 programs.

Despite operational challenges due to its governing trust being based in Odisha, the university has successfully established eight Centers of Excellence and three incubation centers. To ensure its growth, the government is considering granting it a sponsoring body status in Andhra Pradesh and providing tax benefits under the Income Tax CUTIF-AP scheme.