Maa Shakumbhari University (MSU) Saharanpur

The newly established Maa Shakumbhari University is still in its incipient stage but it aspires to emergesoon as an enormous centre of higher education. It is speedily heading towards ushering in the dawn of knowledge and new awakening in the adjoining areas of Saharanpur. It is expeditiously striding forward to its over-all development. The recently started University is leaving no stone unturned in developing as a fountain of comprehensive learning keeping in mind the needs of the students of this rapidly developing nation vis-a-vis the process of globalization.
Maa Shakumbhari University is a State University, situated at the village Punwarka of district Saharanpur in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is established by Uttar Pradesh State Universities Act, 2019. The university was inaugurated on December 2, 2021 by Honorable Home Minister SriAmit Shah and Honorable Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Sri Yogi Adityanathji in gracious presence of theHonorable Deputy Chief Minister Sri Dinesh Sharma and honorable Union Education Minister SriDharmendraPradhan. The foundation stone of the proposed majestic building of the University was also laid down. The University campus and residential campus is being built on 50 acres of land. At present the University is housing in the Government College, Punwarka.

          The University is going to be advantageous to all the affiliated colleges which includes 11 aided Colleges, 8 Government Colleges and 193 Self Financed Colleges. The territorial jurisdiction of the University is Saharanpur Mandal comprising of three districts viz., Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. An estimated1.50 lakh students will be benefitted by this university. Previously, these colleges were affiliated to ChaudharyCharan Singh University, Meerut. It was very tedious and bothersome for the staff as well as for students to go all the way to Meerut to get their problems resolved. The university is an asset to the society as well. The area around the University will gradually develop, yielding employment to the local inhabitants. The university itself will turn into an education hub as well as it will provide employment to many deserving persons who are in a dire need of jobs. Above all, the girls and women of the area will be highly benefitted by it as they cannot afford to go to far off places for higher education. They will be provided high quality education and job opportunities at their doorstep.
The university was initially named Saharanpur State University but later it was renamed as Maa Shakumbhari University by the Government. The U.P. State Universities Amendment Bill 2021 that provides for renaming the University was passed in the State assembly on August 3 2021.Honourable Deputy Chief Minister,Sri Dinesh Sharma issued a statement saying that, “The ancient temple of Goddess Shakumbhari Devi situated in Saharanpur district, is one of the most famous ‘Shakti Peeths’ of India. The General Public has an unwavering reverence for MaaShakumbhari Devi. Dedicating the Saharanpur State University, established by the state government to MaaShakumbhari Devi, it was decided to name the said university after Her name in accordance with the sentiments of the general public”. (indiatvnews.com)
The ancient temple of MaaShakumbhari is situated in the midst of the beautiful Shivalik Mountain range in Jasmour village area. It is 40 kilometres north of Saharanpur. It is the main ‘Shakti Peeth’ of Goddess Shakumbhari. This Shakti Peethis venerated as the divine feminine energy of the universe. MaaShakumbhari is considered as an ‘avatar’ of Mother Goddess Durga who is consecrated as the epitome of ‘Shakti’ (power). Power comes from knowledge that is why it is said knowledge is power. Thus, the modified name of the University is befitting and very relevant.
The University aims at disseminating good quality higher education which will empower our youth and make them better equipped to succeed in attaining their objectives. This knowledge will help them and their society progress and aspire to achieve  utopian perfection. The sparks of knowledge will not just brighten their lives but also enrich their society too. It will make them responsible citizens who know the human values of tolerance, harmony, equality and discipline,etc.
Thus, the University has envisaged a kind of education which would prepare the scholarsto encounter potential challenges of education, employment and those of outside world. It has set its sight on administering a congenial atmosphere for the students to develop and strengthen this intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual quotient. The implementation of the New Education Policy would further open new vistas of progress.