/1392The Visva-Bharti founded by Dr. Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan in 1921 is a unique institutution, and has since its inception served as a centre for the study of, and research in, the different cultures of the East on the basis of their underlying unity, and has sought to approach the West from the stand-point of such a unity of the life and thought of Asia. The institution has acquired a world-wide recognition and has attracted scholars and pupils from many countries all over the world.2. The University Education Commission Commended the special and very valuable work done by this institution, particularly its "effort to discover, preserve and transmit the vast elements of old Indian coulture, and the work with the surrounding villages" and recommended that the Viswa-Bharti should be given a provisional Charter as a University with suitable capital and recurring grants. The recommendations of the University Education Commission were approved by the Central Adversory Board of Education at its meeting in April, 1950, and the Government of West Bengal agree to the establishment of a unitary, teaching and residential University at Santiniketan by an Act of Parliament.3. There is no provision in the Constitution of India for the grant of a Charter (as distinct from an Act) as recommended by the University Education Commission, but the Constitution makes the Union Government responsible for institutions declared by law to be of national importance (vide item 63 of List I of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution).4. It is, therefore, proposed to make such declaration and have the Visva-Bharti constituted as a Central University. The Constitution that is proposed to be given to Visva-Bharti is in conformity with the recommendations made by the University Education Commission with such modifications as are considered necessary to preserve the tradition and special features of the institution." - Gazette of India, Pt. II, Section 2, p. 304.[9th May, 1951]An Act to declare the institution known as "Visva-Bharati" to be an institution of national importance and to provide for its functioning as a unitary teaching and residential university.BE it enacted by Parliament as follows:Preliminary
