The Baroda University Commission of 1927

In the year 1925, the Setalvad Committee on the University Reform in the Province of Bombay published their report. The Committee recommended the idea of regional Universities in the Province of Bombay, stressed the importance of more direct teaching, at least as far as the post-graduate teaching by the Universities was concerned, and stressed the need for paying for greater attention to the study of technology and carrying on research in the various branches of knowledge. The Committee, through it proposed the idea of having regional Universities into which the province could be divided viz., Maharastra, Gujarat, Karnatak and Sind, recommended that a University for only one region viz.Maharastra be established, at an early date. According to them, the rest of the areas were not so developed then as to have a seprate university. Dr. M.R.Jaykar and Prof. K.T. Shah two of the members of the Committee, had appended notes of dissent stating that Gujarat could definetly be considered ripe for a seprate University. This led to a movement for a separate university for Gujartat. Just about the time when the cry for the establishment of separate regional Universities was raised, the celebration of the golden jubilee of the His Highness the late Maharaja Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad were afoot in the Baroda State and the people of the State also showed keen interest in establishing a University at Baroda as a fitting monument to commemorate the beneficent region of the illustrious ruler. This resulted in the appointment of the Baroda University Commission on the 24th September, 1926, with Prof. A. G. Widgery as Chairman, and the following members:-

• - Principal A.B.Dhriva
• - Shri K.M.Munshi
• - Prof. K.G.Naik
• - Shri S.V.Mukerjea

The Commission submitted in 1927 a comprehensive report making out a strong case for the immediate establishment of a University at Baroda. The principal recommendation of the that Commission were :

• A separate University at Baroda called "Shri Sayajirao University of Baroda" be established.
• The University should be of Unitary and residential type with facilities for affiliation of college outside the city.
• The first two years of colleges were proposed to be reformed and constituted into a Preparatory College for Men and Preparatory College for Women.
• The first two years of the University should be reorganised into Faculties of .
  • - Arts
  • - Science
  • - Technology and Agriculture and
  • - Economics, Commerce amd Administration.
• Besides the Faculties, the University should have
  • - Institute for Oriental Studies
  • - Institute for Gujarati Studies
  • - School of Fine Arts
  • - School of Nursing and
  • - School of Domestic Science.
• Emphasis was placed on the study of Technology and Science and on post-graduate teaching and research.
• Two years' pass and honours degree courses with provision for instituting special groups within the alternative honours courses and keeping the pass inferior to the honours courses.
• Medium of instruction should be the vernacular upto the school leaving examination in all subjects except English, and English a the preparatory courses with latitude to teachers to use the vernacular.
• Provision was to be made for extension courses, library movement as a university extension movement, compulsory medical examination and compulsory choice of forms of exercises.