Shimla: In a significant push to strengthen technical education, research, and innovation, the Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU), Hamirpur, has approved an annual budget of Rs 76.07 crore for the financial year 2026-27.The budget was cleared during a finance committee meeting chaired by the vice-chancellor and secretary, technical education, Abhishek Jain, and later approved by the board of directors.Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the HPTU was moving beyond traditional teaching by encouraging students to engage in research, innovation and co-curricular activities. He said special emphasis would be laid on entrepreneurship development, industrial exposure and skill-based training to make students self-reliant.Jain announced that PhD programmes would soon be launched across the university and its affiliated institutions to boost research culture. For the first time, Rs 3 crore has been allocated for modern laboratories and infrastructure, and Rs 1 crore for books, e-resources and journals, he said.The budget also enhances student development, increasing funds for sports and cultural activities from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 55 lakh. Provisions for student clubs, placements, skill development and entrepreneurship further highlight the university’s commitment to holistic growth and academic excellence, Jain added.The university will also introduce provisions for awarding honorary PhD degrees to distinguished individuals who have made outstanding contributions in academia, research, industry and society. Additionally, to promote active research supervision, each PhD guide will receive an incentive of Rs 50,000 upon the successful completion of a scholar’s research work, he said.MSID:: 130391865 413 |
