Keralam government to formulate draft Bill for setting up Tribal University in Wayanad

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The Revised State Budget for 2026-27 presented by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan in June 2026 had allocated ₹50 crore towards setting up Tribal University in Wayanad. 

The Keralam government will shortly come up with a draft Bill for setting up Tribal University in Wayanad.

It will have provisions in tune with the government’s vision of establishing a world-class centre for indigenous studies and traditional knowledge systems. The Department of Higher Education has started drafting the concept note for the project that had figured among the key promises included in the manifesto of the United Democratic Front (UDF) for the 2026 Assembly elections, according to sources.

The process of identifying land for the project will be initiated soon. The government will entrust the Wayanad district administration with shortlisting a few revenue sites suitable for setting up the university, they said.

The Revised State Budget for 2026-27 presented by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan in June 2026 had allocated ₹50 crore towards the project. It had stated that the government plans to establish the “Wayanad Tribal University and Indigenous Knowledge Zone aimed at catalysing educational advancement, research, innovation, and socio-economic transformation.”

Minister for Higher Education Roji M. John told The Hindu that the government was committed to increasing the gross enrolment ratio among the aspirants in the tribal communities. The proposed Tribal University would come up with academic and research programmes reflecting the unique cultural heritage and developmental aspirations of the tribal communities, he said.

Officials of the Department of Higher Education said that work on drafting the concept note had begun based on the initial round of consultations among the stakeholders. It was among the projects discussed at the recent ‘Reimagining Keralam’ round table conference on the government’s flagship development projects included in the Revised State Budget for 2026-27.

The government has envisaged the university as a world-class centre for indigenous studies, tribal entrepreneurship, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and future-ready skill development.

The objective is to seamlessly integrate education with livelihoods, technology, and social development while preserving the rich cultural traditions and knowledge systems of tribal communities. Besides academic and research programmes, the university will promote national and international collaboration.

An expert committee will be constituted to submit recommendations regarding the institutional architecture, implementation roadmap, and resource mobilisation strategy of the project, according to the authorities.

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