Lavasa is India's first hill station since Independence and is being developed by Hindustan Construction Company near Pune. It is located on the backwaters of Warasgaon dam on the Western Ghats, about 50 km from Pune and 180 km from Mumbai. Spread over 51 km2 of land it is scheduled to be completed by 2021 with first phase to become operational by June 2009.
HCC-owned Lavasa Corporation, which is developing the hill township, plans to set up a retail university within its campus in association with the NSHM Knowledge Campus, Kolkata. It will admit about 1,600 students every year for a wide range of courses that have a high employability value in the retail, media and management space.
Located over 20 acres of land it will offer graduate and postgraduate level courses and is expected to attract international students as well, as these courses would be affiliated to international universities. The NSHM Knowledge Campus is expected to become a Deemed University by 2010 and plans affiliation with universities in the US and UK.
The courses offered will not be cheap, however. Courses ranging from 1-2 years duration will cost around Rs 4 Lakh ($90,000) per year, including lodging and boarding. The university will operate in consultation with Retailers Association of India.
According to a report in TOI, Lavasa has crossed the 10,000 student intake capacity mark after signing the agreement with NSHM whose chief mentor Cecil Antony says, "India has already emerged as the world's fifth largest investment destination in the retail sector. The proposed university will provide the sector with its much needed trained professionals." |