Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Madhya Pradesh Splits RGPV Into Three, Drops Rajiv Gandhi Name
Madhya Pradesh has decided to reorganize one large technical university into three universities.
They will be located in Bhopal, Ujjain and Jabalpur.
The old university is called Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, or RGPV.
The words “Rajiv Gandhi” will not be part of the new university names.
Each university will look after colleges in a different group of regions.
The Bhopal university will cover four divisions, including Bhopal and Gwalior.
The Ujjain university will cover Ujjain and Indore, while the Jabalpur university will cover four eastern and central divisions.
The government says the change will improve regional balance and technical education.
A committee led by the Chief Secretary will help organize the new universities.
The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved replacing RGPV with three regional technical universities.
The universities will be based in Bhopal, Ujjain and Jabalpur.
The “Rajiv Gandhi” name will be removed from the reorganized institutions.
The universities will divide technical colleges across Central, Malwa and Mahakaushal regions.
A Chief Secretary-led committee will oversee their establishment, while separate Acts will govern them.
- Who
- The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, approved the reorganization of Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya and related technical institutions.
- What
- RGPV will be reorganized into three regional technical and skill-development universities, with the “Rajiv Gandhi” name removed.
- When
- The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday; the articles do not provide a calendar date.
- Where
- The new universities will be based in Bhopal, Ujjain and Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- The government cited regional balance and the expansion of quality higher, technical and skill-development education.
Government rationale
Political interpretation
Reason for restructuring
Government rationale
The Madhya Pradesh government says three regional universities will improve regional balance and expand quality technical and skill-development education.
Political interpretation
The opposing interpretation presented in the coverage is that removing Rajiv Gandhi’s name has political significance because he was a late Congress leader from the Nehru-Gandhi family and the state is governed by the BJP.
Effect of the name change
Government rationale
The Cabinet approved new names and a new administrative structure for the three universities.
Political interpretation
The change is viewed as removing the name of a former Congress prime minister from a prominent state institution.
- Existing institution
- Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV)
- New universities
- Three, based in Bhopal, Ujjain and Jabalpur
- Bhopal university
- Madhya Bharat Technology and Skill University, also described as Madhya Bharat Proudyogiki Evam Kaushal Vishwavidyalaya
- Ujjain university
- Malwa Technology and Skill University, also described as Malwa Proudyogiki Evam Kaushal Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya
- Jabalpur university
- Mahakaushal Technology and Skill University, also described as Mahakaushal Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya
- Regional jurisdictions
- Bhopal covers Bhopal, Narmadapuram, Chambal and Gwalior; Ujjain covers Ujjain and Indore; Jabalpur covers Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar and Shahdol.
- Existing scale
- RGPV offers 13 programmes through 585 institutions and has more than 3.83 lakh students, according to one article.
- Oversight
- A Madhya Pradesh Technology Universities Empowered Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will coordinate the transition.
