Tribhuvan Sahkari University to be set up at IRMA? Govt introduces bill in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: The government introduced the Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha on February 3. The bill aims to establish Tribhuvan Sahkari University on the campus of the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), Gujarat. The Tribhuvan Sahkari University will focus on technical and management education in the cooperative sector and will be declared an institution of national importance.

According to The Tribune , the bill emphasizes that the current education and training infrastructure in the cooperative sector is fragmented and inadequate to meet future demands. The new Tribhuvan Sahkari University is intended to create a structured and standardised education system.

Tribhuvan Sahkari University: Specialised focus areas and training

As reported by The Indian Express , the Tribhuvan Sahkari University will establish sector-specific schools covering dairy, fisheries, sugar, banking, rural credit, cooperative finance , cooperative marketing, cooperative laws, and cooperative audits. It will also promote cooperative research and development to align with global educational standards.

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Expansion through affiliated colleges

The Indian Express reported that the new university at IRMA will operate with 4-5 affiliated colleges in states with a high concentration of cooperative societies. It will also have at least 1 to 2 affiliated institutions in states with fewer such societies.

The idea of a National Cooperative University was first proposed by home minister Amit Shah in 2021. The Indian Express quoted the Bill’s statement, “The University would be a specialised University, the first of its kind, in the co-operative sector, to impart and promote co-operative education, training, research and development and thereby strengthen the co-operative movement in the country.”