The Ministry of Cooperation has established a national-level university in the cooperative sector, “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University (TSU), by converting the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), and has declared it an institution of national importance through an Act of Parliament. The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University Bill, 2025, was passed by the Lok Sabha on 26 March 2025 and by the Rajya Sabha on 1 April 2025, followed by Presidential assent on 3 April 2025. The Gazette notification issued on 4 April 2025 brought the Act into force, establishing the University with effect from 6 April 2025.

As TSU has been established by converting an existing institute, it became functional immediately, with appointments made for the officiating Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and Finance Officer. The Governing Board and Executive Council have been constituted on 02.06.2025 and 16.07.2025, respectively. The Statutes and the Ordinances of the University have been notified by the Ministry and University, respectively on 27.06.2025 and 21.11.2025.

During current academic year, TSU has launched three new MBA programmes—Cooperative Management, Cooperative Banking & Finance and Agribusiness Management —from the current academic year. Additionally, the Government of Gujarat has allotted a land parcel of about 125 acres for the development of new infrastructure, and the foundation stone for the University’s new building was laid on 5 July 2025.

The Government has, vide Gazette Notifications Nos. CG-DL-E-04042025-26229 and CG-DL-E-04042025-262290 dated 4 April 2025, duly notified the establishment of the University. Academic and research activities commenced in the Academic Year 2025. Out of 50+ identified courses of different durations, the University has, with effect from the Academic Year 2025-26, launched three postgraduate degree programmes titled - MBA in Cooperative Management, MBA in Cooperative Banking and Finance, and MBA in Agribusiness Management. The University, through its affiliation framework, is to professionalize the workforce in the cooperative sector, also engaging with a range of institutions.

Qualified and trained human resources are the backbone of any industry, including cooperative industry, and act as a critical factor to shape its future. To ensure a stable and adequate supply of qualified and trained manpower, the “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University is mandated to create a pan-India network of cooperative institutions by opening new schools at the University campus and other States and affiliating existing cooperative institutes/colleges based on a set of criteria to maintain quality standards. Further, the National Cooperation Policy 2025, which was launched by the Ministry on 24th July 2025, also contains the plan of the Central Government to involve national/state-level cooperative societies and universities in shaping the cooperative industry, some of which have been reproduced as under:

3.3.2. Encourage sectoral national federations to develop a repository of success stories on prevailing best practices in the cooperative sector to promote the spirit of cooperation and their emulation.

1. 1. 7. Promote strengthening the upper tiers of the cooperatives to take on larger responsibilities in supporting their primary members to become more competitive.
2. 1. 9. Encourage the national-level federations/unions to play leading roles in revitalizing the cooperative sector by helping member cooperatives to develop and adopt best practices for transparency and good governance, and deepening the cooperative movement through cooperative advocacy, awareness and member education.
3. 1. 1. Promote the organizational management of cooperative societies along professional lines through the creation of an integrated, standardized, and quality-conscious national-level institutional structure for industry-oriented education and need-based capacity building. This may be achieved by establishing an apex organization to:

5.2.1.2. ensure a stable and adequate supply of young and qualified manpower for the cooperative sector.

This information was given by Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Shri Amit Shah in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

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AK

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