The Maharashtra cabinet on Friday approved guidelines for the formation of cluster universities by educational institutes in the state.
It will help create a strong chain of educational institutions and benefit students, said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.
Cluster universities will be public universities and the Maharashtra Governor, as chancellor of the universities, will appoint their vice chancellors, it said.
At present there are three cluster universities in the state, namely, Dr Homi Bhabha State University and Hyderabad Sindh National Collegiate University in Mumbai, and Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil University in Satara.
As per the guidelines, an educational institution interested in forming a cluster university should have necessary infrastructure and capacity and a minimum of two and a maximum of five colleges can be part of such a varsity.
Barring agriculture and health sciences institutions, colleges where professional courses are taught can be included in a cluster university.
The principal college in a cluster university should be more than 20 years old, have a minimum of 2,000 students and should be enjoying the autonomous status for at least five years.
