After Sundernagar, Focus Shifts to SPU’s Basa Campus — Congress Begins Mobilization
Mandi, 24 June: Following the state government’s recent decision to hand over the Sundernagar campus of Sardar Patel University (SPU) to MLSM College—despite strong public opposition—the spotlight has now turned to the university’s Basa building. Local Congress leaders in Nachan have initiated efforts to prevent the handover of this facility to SPU.
During a recent visit to Mandi, Education Minister Rohit Thakur was approached by these leaders, who presented their concerns. Lal Singh Kaushal, a former Congress candidate from Nachan, stated that Basa College has been serving students for over 25 years and currently enrolls more than 1,000 students. Given its service in a geographically challenging region, Kaushal argued the college deserves recognition as a “special institution.”
He emphasized that additional academic programs can only be introduced if adequate infrastructure remains available. For this reason, he urged that the building constructed under the Cluster University scheme in Basa should remain with the college administration rather than being transferred to Sardar Patel University. The leaders also requested that the Education Minister schedule time to attend the college’s upcoming silver jubilee celebrations.
Four Campuses Built Under Cluster University Plan
It’s worth noting that the concept of a Cluster University in Mandi district was introduced during the tenure of the late Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. Under this initiative, four campuses were built—in Mandi, Sundernagar, Basa, and Padhar.
Later, former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur upgraded the Cluster University to a full-fledged university—Sardar Patel University—and brought all these campuses under its jurisdiction. While the main SPU campus is operational in Mandi, select programs were also started in Sundernagar.
Efforts are currently underway to begin academic activity at the Basa and Padhar campuses from this academic session. However, before that could happen, the state government reallocated the Sundernagar campus to MLSM College. Now, local Congress leaders are demanding that the Basa campus be similarly retained by the existing college.
Since the change in government, the state’s approach toward Sardar Patel University in Mandi has drawn criticism for being indifferent and lacking in support.
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