DBATU proposes pharmacy freeze till 2031; targets Rs 200 crore funding, 60 startups by 2030

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU), Lonere, has proposed a major restructuring of technical education expansion in Maharashtra through its newly approved Master Plan for 2025-2031, placing restrictions on the growth of pharmacy colleges while simultaneously planning targeted expansion in engineering and vocational education across underserved districts.

The proposal was presented by acting vice chancellor Rajanish Kamat before the Maharashtra State Higher Education and Development Commission (MAHED).
As per the proposal, while pharmacy colleges have expanded rapidly over the past decade, concerns have emerged around employability, vacant seats and declining academic standards.

DBATU’s roadmap argues that the state’s technical education policy now requires a shift from uncontrolled expansion towards consolidation, quality improvement and district-level equity in access.

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DBATU currently functions as Maharashtra’s only state technical university and oversees 455 affiliated institutes across all 36 districts. According to the university’s proposal, the affiliated ecosystem currently serves more than 1,75,369 students enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses .

The master plan also aligns itself with the state government’s broader “Viksit Maharashtra 2047” vision for economic and educational development.

DBATU: Pharmacy expansion halted till 2031

One of the most significant recommendations in the master plan concerns pharmacy education. The university has proposed that no new BPharmacy or DPharmacy institutes should be permitted between the academic sessions 2027-28 and 2030-31. It has also recommended freezing intake expansion in existing pharmacy institutions.

As per the proposal, Maharashtra currently has 333 pharmacy institutions, a figure the university described as exceeding industry demand. The document argues that the rapid increase in pharmacy seats over the years has not been matched by proportional job growth in the pharmaceutical sector.

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This imbalance, the university noted, has contributed to rising unemployment among graduates and reduced academic quality in several institutions.

Instead of permitting further expansion, the university has proposed strengthening existing institutions through:

• Laboratory modernisation
• Industry partnerships
• Internship opportunities
• Research collaborations
• Faculty and pedagogy improvements

The state government, as per the proposal, has also directed universities to improve collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to ensure students receive practical industrial exposure and training opportunities.

DBATU: Engineering colleges in low GER districts

While pharmacy education faces restrictions, the university’s strategy for engineering education focuses on expansion in districts with low Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education. DBATU plans to increase the number of affiliated engineering colleges from 113 to 120 by establishing seven new institutes in educationally underserved regions.

The proposed districts and institutional plans are as follows:

The university noted that students from many of these districts often relocate to cities such as Pune, Aurangabad and Nagpur to access technical education. The proposed institutions aim to reduce this regional imbalance by improving access within local districts. The plan has also proposed fee concessions, special grants and fast-track approvals for institutes opening in these areas.

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The plan additionally proposes expansion in below disciplines;

• Architecture institutes to rise from 3 to 9
• B.Voc institutions to increase from 4 to 11
• HMCT colleges to be introduced in tourism-oriented districts such as Sindhudurg, Hingoli and Nandurbar

DBATU’s five-pillar reform strategy

The university’s roadmap is built around five broad institutional reform areas intended to guide DBATU between 2025 and 2030.

Examination Reforms: DBATU has committed to declaring all examination results within 30 days. The proposal includes adoption of digital evaluation systems, centralised answer-sheet processing and streamlined administrative workflows to reduce delays.

Academic Quality Targets: The university aims to secure NBA accreditation for all programmes and target NAAC A+ accreditation status by 2028.

Research and Innovation Push: The master plan places strong emphasis on research funding, patents and innovation ecosystems. DBATU plans to establish 23 Centres of Excellence divided into three categories:

The flagship Tier 1 centres will be linked to major national missions including the IndiaAI Mission worth Rs 10,372 crore, the National Green Hydrogen Mission worth Rs 19,744 crore and PM-ABHIM initiatives.

The Tier 2 applied centres are proposed in collaboration with companies and agencies such as ABB, FANUC, Siemens, Tata Motors and MSEDCL, focusing on robotics, drones, electric vehicles and water technologies under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

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Tier 3 emerging centres will focus on areas such as quantum computing and space technology, aligned with the National Quantum Mission worth Rs 6,003 crore along with initiatives linked to IN-SPACe and NewSpace India.

The university has also outlined long-term research goals by 2030 including;

• Rs 200 crore research funding
• 30 patents
• 280 research publications
• More than 60 startups
• 420 PhD completions

Digital governance: The plan proposes a transition towards paperless administration and quarterly public KPI dashboards aimed at improving transparency and reducing bureaucratic delays.

Infrastructure development: The university has proposed modernisation of laboratories, research facilities and affiliated campus infrastructure in partnership with industries.

Government Directives

As per the DBATU master plan document, the Maharashtra government has proposed several policy measures focused on balanced expansion, employability, industry participation and regional equity.

The proposal also links DBATU with central flagship missions collectively associated with over Rs 4.05 lakh crore in funding across sectors such as AI, green hydrogen, semiconductors and quantum technology.

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Key measures proposed include;

• Allowing expansion only in sectors with genuine academic and employment demand
• Revising curricula to make courses more industry-oriented and skill-focused
• Increasing long-term industry collaboration in research, laboratories and training
• Expanding pharma company tie-ups for internships and industrial exposure
• Providing fee support, grants and faster approvals in underserved districts
• Linking DBATU research plans with major national technology and innovation missions

According to the plan, DBATU aims to contribute towards increasing Maharashtra’s Gross Enrollment Ratio(GER) from 20% to 30% by 2029, achieve a place among the top 50 engineering universities in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) by 2035 and strengthen Maharashtra’s position in technical innovation and research by 2047.