Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU), Ahmedabad, has laid the foundation stone for its first regional centre in Palanpur, marking a significant step towards expanding access to higher education in North Gujarat and remote areas of the state.
Addressing the ceremony, Gujarat minister Pradyuman Vaja said the state government is committed to ensuring quality education reaches every section of society.
He noted that BAOU has helped lakhs of students pursue higher education through its open and distance learning programmes, and the new regional centre will create better educational opportunities for students in Banaskantha and across North Gujarat.
Vaja said the centre will particularly benefit students from rural, remote and socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds by providing higher education services closer to their homes.
He also congratulated the university and local administration for the initiative.BAOU Vice-Chancellor Ami Upadhyay said expanding educational infrastructure across different regions is essential to achieving the university’s vision of “Education for All.”
The Palanpur regional centre will provide admission services, academic guidance, examination support and other student services locally, making higher education more accessible, efficient and inclusive for thousands of learners in the region.