The state cabinet notified the CM-SRISTHI scheme on October 6 to bring foreign university campuses to state public varsities. Running from 2026-27 to 2030-31, the plan encourages joint degrees and research. Institutions must meet strict accreditation rules to get financial help for infrastructure and new AI centres of excellence.
The provision is part of the CM-SRISTHI (Scheme for Research, Innovations and Technological Hubs in Higher Education Institutions), approved by the state cabinet and notified by the higher and technical education department on October 6.
The scheme will be implemented for five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31, and covers state public universities, the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, COEP Technological University, Pune, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere, and government higher and technical education institutions and polytechnics.
The government plans to particularly attract universities ranked among the leading institutions in the QS World University Rankings and international research organisations working in emerging fields.
The proposed collaborations could offer dual and joint degrees, joint research, faculty and student exchanges, shared research facilities and international academic programmes. The government will provide financial assistance for required infrastructure and research facilities. At the same time, projects will be implemented on a viability-gap funding model, with substantial contributions expected from foreign universities or through public-private partnerships.
However, institutions seeking benefits under the scheme must meet several conditions. Existing government institutions older than six years will require NAAC A+ or equivalent accreditation, while colleges will have to be ranked among the top 200 in NIRF. Government engineering colleges will have to be autonomous, and institutions will also have to comply with requirements relating to academic and administrative audits, NEP 2020, academic bank of credits, Indian knowledge systems and the choice based credit system.
Universities will also be encouraged to establish AI centres of excellence focusing on artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, robotics, computer vision, natural language processing, generative AI, agentic AI, digital twins, ethical AI and multimodal learning.
The government has also proposed independent schools of technology in state public universities, with a focus on postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral programmes, applied and translational research, incubation centres and research parks, along with industry-linked projects and internships.
The GR lists proposed Centres of Excellence at institutions including ICT Mumbai, DBATU Lonere, COEP Technological University, VJTI Mumbai, Government College of Engineering Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalgaon, Karad and Amravati, and Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering and Technology, Nanded.
The scheme also proposes a Meta University model connecting multiple universities, research institutions and industries through a common academic ecosystem, allowing sharing of courses, faculty, research facilities and other academic resources.