India Gets Its First National Cooperative University: A New Chapter in Inclusive Growth

In a landmark development, the Tribhuvan Cooperative University — India’s first national-level cooperative university — has received approval from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The legislation was tabled in the Upper House by Union Minister of State for Cooperation, Muralidhar Mohol, who emphasized the vast network of cooperatives in the country: over 8 lakh cooperative societies involving 40 lakh employees, 80 lakh office-bearers, and more than 30 crore members.

 

 

 

 

Highlighting the need for a robust and skilled workforce in the cooperative sector, Mohol stated that India would require around 17 lakh trained young professionals in the next five years to match the sector’s growing scale within the national economy. To this end, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, the central government has taken a significant step to strengthen the cooperative movement at the grassroots level by establishing this university.

 

 

 

 

As India prepares to celebrate the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, the Tribhuvan Cooperative University Bill, 2025 is a strategic move aimed at enhancing the visibility, growth, and innovation in the cooperative sector. The university is expected to not only empower the cooperative movement but also boost rural economies and promote research and professionalism among cooperative managers and workers.

 

After 75 years of independence, India now has a dedicated cooperative university focused on education, training, and research in this domain. The university will serve as a centralized platform to address long-standing gaps in capacity-building for employees and board members of cooperative institutions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The university will be built on the foundation of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), Gujarat, and renamed in honor of cooperative pioneer Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel. This autonomous business school has long contributed to rural management and cooperative development. Its evolution into a national university recognizes its legacy and prepares it to serve a much larger mission.

 

The roots of this institution trace back to post-Independence India, when Patel, disturbed by exploitative milk procurement practices by British firms, established the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union in 1946. Starting with just 247 liters of milk from two villages, the initiative grew rapidly with the help of Dr. Verghese Kurien, who handled the technical and marketing fronts. This effort laid the foundation for Amul, which now produces 2.63 crore liters of milk daily, involves over 36.4 lakh farmers, and earns ₹150 crore every day. From two villages to global markets, Amul now operates in over 50 countries and has more than 8,000 exclusive outlets across India.

 

 

 

 

• Capacity to train 8 lakh students annually
• Specialized courses for cooperative society employees
• Focus on both local and global cooperative expansion
• Emphasis on innovation and research

 

Though some universities in Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu offer cooperative management subjects, there is no unified national curriculum focused on cooperative education. In contrast, many other countries have developed innovative models that integrate cooperative learning from school to technical and professional levels.

 

The National Cooperative University will bridge this gap and meet India’s educational and training needs in the cooperative sector. It aims to become a significant platform in tackling global challenges such as climate change, conflict, pandemics, environmental degradation, migration, and economic disparity—through the cooperative model.

 

 

 

 

The university will launch specialized degree programs focused on rural development, agri-business, cooperative finance, and digital cooperatives. It will also support cooperative startups through a dedicated entrepreneurship incubation center. Student fellowships, incentives, and research scholarships will help attract and retain young professionals in the sector, ensuring sustained leadership over time.

 

 

 

 

The initiative has already garnered praise from global cooperative bodies. ICA (International Cooperative Alliance) Director-General Mr. Jeroen Douglas lauded the establishment of the university, stating that it will significantly strengthen the global cooperative movement.

 

 

 

 

The Modi government's vision of Prosperity through Cooperation is gaining momentum. With the cooperative model offering a more sustainable and inclusive path to doing business, linking India's youth to this sector via technology and education is key. The cooperative sector is set to play a major role in India's vision of becoming the third-largest global economy. And with Tribhuvan Cooperative University at its heart, the movement is poised for transformative growth.

 

 

 

Originally published on Vayuveg, Transalated by Himali Nalawade 

 

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