The Hindu Business Line : Deemed University concept needs right direction

The ongoing issue with regard to certain deemed universities must not hijack a sound concept envisaged by Dr S. Radhakrishnan. Based on the Dr Radhakrishnan Committee’s report, provisions were made in the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 for declaring higher institutions of learning with quality as Deemed to be University. .

Since 2005, the Government of India has notified 108 institutions as Deemed Universities, and in Tamil Nadu alone the number of private deemed universities has increased from 18 in 2005 to 35 in 2008 and many are in the queue. Despite the Supreme Court issuing a notice in 2006 on a PIL opposing the manner in which the Central Government granted Deemed University status, between May 2006 and March 2009 over 50 institutions have been granted Deemed University status. The increase in the number of Deemed Universities should not, however, be at the cost of quality.

UGC vs AICTE

The strength and weakness of a system does not totally lie in the guidelines or rules and regulations but in their meticulous implementation. The UGC Act was enacted to maintain the norms and standards in universities and Section 3 of the Act empowers the University Grants Commission (UGC) to recommend to the Government institutions to be declared as Deemed Universities.

At the same time, statutory councils have come into existence by way of Central legislation. These councils have to be respected at least to the extent the Act demands.

As per present guidelines, an applicant institution will be inspected by a committee constituted by the UGC with a representative from the respective statutory council. However, Section 10(t) of the All India Council for Technical Education Act (AICTE) confers power on the AICTE to “advise the Commission for declaring any institutions imparting technical education as Deemed Universities”.

The AICTE also prescribed detailed guidelines in regard to conferment of Deemed University status as early as 1996 and subsequently revised them during 1999-2000. The AICTE Act does not provide for any delegation of authority and going by it, in respect of technical institutions, it is only the AICTE that should recommend to the UGC for consideration of Deemed University status.

The UGC guidelines for award of Deemed University status must be as good as, if not better than, that of the statutory council. The AICTE laid down norms and standards for establishment of educational institutions back in 1995 and this author was a member of the Committee.

Support facilities

For a University, to properly function with all academic and support facilities, a minimum of 50 acres of land is required and this requirement is location independent. With respect to building area, for an intake of 360 students per annum, the AICTE prescribes 11,236 sq. mts. as the required academic area; in comparison, the UGC prescribes 10,000 sq.mts. without mentioning the student strength.

The prescribed value of Rs 2 crore in respect of equipment, books and journals for the faculties of engineering and medicine for conferment of Deemed University is low considering that even ordinary professional colleges are expected to have facilities of this magnitude.

The original AICTE guidelines for conferment of Deemed University status stipulated that the institution shall be engaged in conducting UG and PG degree for a period of not less than 10 years and five years from the graduation of first batchrespectively. The UGC has now reduced the net minimum period of existence of the institution from 15 to 10 years.

The minimum research requirement has not been prescribed in the UGC guidelines. The AICTE’s guidelines requires the applicant institution to complete five significant projects of value of Rs 8 lakh each or more per year, at least five students should be guided towards doctoral degree in each department and 50 publications in the last five years involving sizeable number of disciplines, departments and faculty members in respect of research.

De novo institutions

In respect of de novo institutions, the AICTE guidelines clearly stipulate that the institution must satisfy all the regulations of the AICTE in regard to grant of approval for establishment of an institution as laid down under Section 10(k) of the AICTE Act. If all other criteria are made good within a year of making the application, then the application may be considered for Deemed University status under de novo category.

Frequent reviews

The UGC must also refrain from the practice of appointing review committees within short periods. Even before the original inspection committee’s report is considered by the UGC/Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), another review committee is sent.

The UGC must also refrain from granting conditional Deemed University status which is against a Madras High Court order.

Some institutions conferred with Deemed University status in the last three years were advised to strengthen infrastructure, faculty quality, research activities, etc. The purpose of conferring Deemed University is to reward institutions with demonstrated excellence and not to motivate them to satisfy basic conditions. Moreover, Deemed University status conferred to many institutions after 2003 is only temporary and subject to review. Such time-bound grant must also be discouraged.

Sister-institution route

The attempt to bring in other sister-institutions within the ambit of the declared Deemed University is clearly a backdoor entry mechanism. A dental or arts and science college obtains Deemed University status and brings its constituent engineering or medical college under the ambit of the original deemed university, and then takes undue advantage under the shelter of the Supreme Court order in the Bharathidasan University case. In this case, the Supreme Court held that in respect of universities that want to offer professional courses regulated by AICTE, prior AICTE approval is not necessary.

Every application must meet the requirements laid down in respect of infrastructure, staff, corpus fund, land, number of year’s existence, etc. It has to be borne in mind that the character of the constituent unit is at a par with the parent university for all practical purposes.

A number of unapproved centres have been started by Deemed Universities in various locations, claiming affiliation under the parent Deemed University. Such centres are not approved by UGC or the MHRD and are only exploiting the gullible middle class.

What UGC must ensure

The UGC should ensure that only deserving institutions are conferred Deemed University. It must ensure that:

The institution should have been in existence for a minimum period of 15 years as laid down by the AICTE and other applicable statutory councils.

The institution ought to have been placed in autonomous category by the respective University and the State Government for a minimum period of five years.

No Objection Certificate from the respective affiliating University and the State Government should be obtained.

Independent recommendations from the statutory council concerned should be obtained before constituting a committee for inspection, a practice followed till 2004.

A minimum time gap of two years should be given and no review should be done in cases of institutions where the application for conferment of Deemed University status has been rejected.

Off-campus centres should undergo the same rigorous procedure as the parent Deemed University and stringent action should be taken against Deemed Universities opening unapproved off-campus centres.

(The author is Vice-Chancellor, SASTRA University, Thanjavur. blfeedback@thehindu.co.in)

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