From farm fields to film labs, Lucknow’s next generation of campuses is taking higher education beyond its familiar addresses. New academic hubs planned at Sarojini Nagar, Chandrawal and Kakrabad promise dedicated spaces for agriculture, career-oriented courses and creative disciplines, signaling not just geographical expansion but a broader rethink of what a university campus can offer.
In July 2024, an eight-member committee formed by the office of the sub-divisional magistrate, Sarojininagar, identified agricultural land for the proposed campus. Indian Institute of Management-Lucknow’s Noida campus, established in 2005, and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University’s Amethi campus, established in 2016, show how institutions have already extended their academic footprint through satellite campuses. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
A reminder was also sent to the DM office, requesting clearance for the report,” said LU registrar Bhavana Mishra. Principal of National PG College Prof Devendra Kumar Singh said the new campus would allow the institution to expand its academic offerings. Kathak danseuse Shovana Narayan said the university should remain a living centre of artistic practice, with students learning through performances, rehearsals and interaction with practising artistes. Malini Awasthi said the new campus should draw inspiration from the relationship between art and nature, while architecture expert and principal of architecture and planning college of AKTU Vandana Sahgal proposed interactive public spaces and performance courtyards.
The expansion, however, is not following one model. Some campuses are being planned to provide space for land-intensive courses, others to introduce emerging career-oriented programmes, while some are looking to take specialised education beyond conventional disciplines. LUCKNOW UNIVERSITY : AGRICULTURE MOVES TO SAROJININAGAR Lucknow University’s proposal for its third campus at Piparsand village in Sarojininagar has moved a step closer to implementation, with the registrar’s office submitting a land verification report to the UP higher education department. The committee, comprising lekhpals and a revenue inspector, was tasked with marking land belonging to the agriculture department in Piparsand, Pargana Bijnor, tehsil Sarojininagar, and submitting its findings to the authorities. Following this, the UP higher education department directed LU authorities to identify suitable land for the proposed campus and submit a report detailing the university’s land requirements. Former students and experts have also stressed the need to retain the ‘guru-shishya’ tradition while adapting to newer forms of artistic expression. A high-level committee of musicians, dancers, theatre practitioners and academicians had a meeting with Bhatkhande VC Prof Mandavi Singh to chart a roadmap to drive the vision for the university’s new campus. Experts including Padma awardees emphasised the need to broaden the university’s academic outlook and strengthen its global engagement. BEYOND LUCKNOW The expansion is not limited to Lucknow. With more campuses now planned in and around Lucknow, the city’s higher education map is set to expand further. Download the TOI App.
The department has forwarded the report to the district magistrate’s office for clearance before the final proposal is placed before the state cabinet for approval.
The proposed 50-hectare campus will accommodate the university’s agriculture faculty and help expand its academic infrastructure,” said LU vice-chancellor Prof JP Saini. NATIONAL PG COLLEGE : 17 ACRES, NEW-AGE COURSES National PG College is set to expand its academic footprint with a new campus at Chandrawal on Bijnor Road. The proposal was approved at the college’s recent governing council meeting, with the campus expected to begin academic activity from the 2027-28 session. Spread over 17 acres allotted by Motilal Memorial Society, the campus is planned around emerging career fields and applied sciences. The work is under process and is expected to be completed by July 2027,” he said. BHATKHANDE 2.0: FROM MUSIC TO A CULTURAL HUB The biggest shift in the city’s education map could perhaps be seen at Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, where the proposed campus at Kakrabad in Kakori is being envisioned as more than an extension of the existing Kaiserbagh campus. The proposed Bhatkhande 2.0 is expected to include a school of music and dance, visual and fine arts, film and literature, arts management, a school of theatre and an AI music lab.
We are now awaiting clearance from the district magistrate’s office so that the proposal can be taken up at the next state cabinet meeting. “We visited the site to verify the land and submitted the report to UP higher education department along with dean of agriculture department Gauri Saxena. “We hope to get the clearance soon. The next step will be to complete the land transfer process and take the proposal forward. LU already has two campuses in the city: the main campus in Badshah Bagh, Hasanganj, and the second in Jankipuram Extension. Proposed programmes include biotechnology, law, agriculture, BBA in agro, food technology and dairy technology. The courses are aimed at creating programmes linked to sectors such as agri-business, health sciences, food processing and legal studies, while giving the college room to introduce courses that require larger academic and practical infrastructure. “Seventeen acres has been allotted to the college by Motilal Memorial Society for the new campus at Chandrawal. This expansion will allow us to introduce future ready courses and provide better facilities to our students. The state has provided around six acres for the proposed campus, which is being planned around music, dance, theatre, visual arts, filmmaking, literature and emerging cultural technologies. A high-level committee of musicians, dancers, theatre practitioners and academicians recently discussed a roadmap for transforming the university into a broader cultural institution. Former director of National School of Drama Vaman Kendre suggested integrating digital arts, animation, documentary filmmaking and virtual production with traditional disciplines. The proposed academic expansion would allow students to move between traditional forms and newer creative industries. The campus will also have grand auditoriums, classical dance theatres, recital halls, an open-air amphitheatre, media labs and an innovation zone for cultural startups. A centre for performing arts and health has also been proposed, covering areas such as music therapy, dance for mental health, yoga and meditation research.