Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has granted permission for opening of two private universities in the hill state, government officials said Thursday. "The Chandigarh-based Chitkara Education Trust and the Himachal Pradesh-based Kalgidhar Society have been issued letters allowing them to open private universities at Baddi in Solan district and Baru Sahib in Sirmaur district, respectively," said P.C. Dhiman, pricipal secretary education.

Both institutions will lay stress on professional courses and will start their sessions this year in July. There will be a provision for reserving 15 percent of seats for students from Himachal Pradesh.

The Chitkara Education Trust campus will come up on the outskirts of the industrial town of Baddi and lay emphasis on engineering, architecture, pharmacy and information technology courses.

The Kalgidhar Trust campus at Baru Sahib will have courses in engineering, public health, naturopathy, business administration, nursing and teacher education.

Both these trusts had applied to open universities last year during the Congress rule but had to apply afresh when there was a change of government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took over the reins of power four months ago.

Ever since the private universities ordinance was passed a year ago, at least a dozen other private parties have applied for opening universities in the state, but the state government has so far given permission to only these two trusts.

"The government's effort is to lay stress on quality education in the private sector, which is why we are being very selective," said Dhiman. IANS