Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government has decided to provide individual identities to the three top state universities: University of Mumbai, University of Pune and University of Nagpur.

The three leading state centers of learning will be bifurcated, as the state is of the view that these institutions are too large to function effectively as a single unit.

As proposed, after the split, which is most likely to take shape in the next academic session , the three varsities will be reconfigured as - the University of Mumbai (Mumbai) and the University of Mumbai (Konkan); Pune University (Pune) and Pune University (Ahmednagar). Additionally, Nagpur University too will have two chapters.

"If I apply to a foreign university with a certificate that reads Pune University, Ahmednagar, they are going to wonder whether it is the same prestigious university,'' remarked a student from Pune University.

Further, once the bifurcation is in place, students will have to decide whether they want to pursue their education from a neighborhood college or travel all the way to the city to get a degree from the mother varsity.

"All three universities are prestigious and we want to use the brand name for the new universities too,'' said the report which was sent to the state planning department.