Higher education at Himalayan elevation

LAST WEEK, THE Sindhu Central University (SCU) held its first convocation in Leh, Ladakh, where 14 students were conferred with degrees.

- VIKRAM CHAUDHARY

It was held at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Choglamsar, Leh, and was attended by the chief secretary of Ladakh, Pawan Kotwal, and the chair of the SCU's Executive Council, Prof V Kamakoti (director of IIT Madras—the mentor institute of the SCU).

What is the SCU?

Claimed to be the world's highest university—at about 3,500 metres above sea level—the SCU is coming up at Khaltse, 100 km west of Leh, towards Kargil. It's named after the river Sindhu (Indus), and is India's first trans-Himalayan central university. It was created to fill the higher education gap in Ladakh, after the region became a Union Territory in 2019, and PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone virtually in February 2024.

What's the current status?

The first 14 students studied at IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur (mentoring institutes), but last week a transit campus opened at Khaltse, near the main campus, which will come up in 110 acres, expected to be ready by 2028. The chancellor is Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, the vice-chancellor's post is currently vacant, and Prof Kamakoti chairs the Executive Council.

What will be the courses?