States told to appoint
Ombudsmen for varsities
By Our
Correspondent
NEW DELHI : The University Grants Commission (UGC)
has told all the state governments to appoint a
ombudsman for their respective states, specifying norms
and procedures that are akin to the appointment of a
university vice-chancellor.
The UGC letter, dated May 7,
encloses a copy the
UGC (Redress of Grievances of
Students) Regulations, 2019, notified in an official
gazette on May 6. The new Regulations supersede UGC
(Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012.
The need for the new
regulations was being felt since long as the states and
Central universities had been citing various reasons for
non-compliance of the Regulations 2012.
This prompted the UGC to
review the situation and invite suggestions for a
revised set of Regulations. The deadline for
entertaining suggestions
closed on December 31, 2018. On May 6, this year
UGC
(Redress of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2019,
were notified in an official gazette.
According to the new
regulations for the Central universities and deemed
universities, the Ombudsmen will be appointed by the
central government in the respective regions.
The higher education
regulator has also dropped the provision which
stipulated that either a retired judge, not below the
rank of a district judge, or a professor with a minimum
10 years experience can be appointed as Ombudsman. Under
the revised regulations, the Ombudsman shall be “a
person of eminence” in academics or research, who had
been a "vice-chancellor of a university."
Complaints of the students seeking admission in any
university and college will also be heard. Under the
revised rules, it is mandatory for the institutions to
come up with a web portal for accepting students
complaints within three months from the date of the
notification of the revised regulations.
Institutions will also have
to publish their prospectus and other key details like
fee on their websites. Failure of the institutions to
comply with the regulations will attract tough actions
from the UGC which may lead to withdrawal of recognition
in the worst case.
Under the revised
regulations, each of the colleges will have to
constitute a five member Collegiate Student Grievance
Redressal Committee comprising three senior faculty
member and a students representative with Principal
being its chairperson.
UGC approves norms for
online courses
By Sanjiv Dube
NEW DELHI : On May 24 the University Grants
Commission (UGC) gave a formal approval to online
education from this academic session allowing select
institutions to offer Certificate, Diploma and Degree
Programmes online.
Any institution will be able
to apply for online courses if it has been in existence
for at least five years and is accredited by NAAC, with
a minimum score of 3.26 out of 4, said a Press
Information Bureau press note.
The UGC at its May 24
meeting approved the UGC (Online Courses) Regulations,
2018 -- a move described as a "landmark reform" in the
field of Higher Education.
Now institutions can offer Certificate, Diploma and
Degree Programmes in full-fledged online mode in
disciplines in which it has already been offering the
same or similar Programmes /Courses at graduate level in
regular mode (of classroom teaching) or in Open and
Distance Learning mode and from which at least one batch
has graduated and approved by the statutory councils.
Besides, the institution should have been in the top-100
in overall category in the National Institutional
Ranking Framework (NIRF) for at least two years in the
previous three years.
Online Programmes requiring
Practical/ Laboratory Courses as a curricular
requirement shall not be permitted. The exams will be
conducted in proctored mode and in conformity with any
norms for such examinations stipulated by the
commission.
The online learning shall
have a minimum of four quadrants: video lectures,
e-content, self-assessment and discussion forum to
clarify doubts.
However, NAAC and NIRF conditions shall not be
applicable to existing government Open Universities till
NAAC or similar accreditation system or NIRF are made
available.
Aadhaar and Passport shall be used to authenticate the
Indian and foreign students respectively for all online
interactions including teaching-learning and
examinations.
The learners’ engagement will be monitored via
participation in asynchronous / synchronous discussions,
assignment activity and programme involvement. The
analytics of Learning Management System shall be used
for ensuring the learner’s participation at least for 2
hours every fortnight.
Overall Regulations provide enabling provisions for
maintaining sanctity of admissions, teaching-learning,
examination, authenticity of the learner and mandatory
disclosure of Programme-wise information such as
duration, start & end dates, fee, number of students,
name of students with identifier, results, on HEI
website/public domain.
These regulations will be made applicable from the
academic session 2018-19. This initiative is a big step
towards attaining the targeted GER of 30% by the year
2020.
Backgrounder
The Draft Regulation states, “Institutions may design,
develop and deliver ‘Online Programmes’ leading to the
award of a Degree or Diploma via the Internet, once
recognized for the same.”
UGC Secretary Jaspal S. Sandhu, had invited feedback
from all the stake holders on ‘University Grants
Commission (Online Education) Regulations, 2017’. The
deadline to submit the feedback was August 18, 2017.
Key points of UGC (Online Education) Regulations
As per the regulations, the Higher Education
Institutions applying for offering online programmes
should have been in existence as a University for at
least five years. It should be a NAAC Accredited
Institution with a valid minimum score of 3.25 on 4
point scale.
Further as per the draft regulation, the institution
would be allowed to offer online programmes in only
those disciplines in which it has already been offering
the same or similar programmes in regular mode
(classroom teaching) from which at least one batch has
been graduated.
The programmes may be designed for conventional
learners, as well as working professionals and other
individuals aspiring to acquire knowledge and associated
academic credentials.
The entire program delivery process shall be conducted
online via a suitably designed online technology
platform.
The institutions are required to prepare a Program
Project Report (PPR) before applying to introduce any
online program duly approved by its academic council.
As per the Draft Regulations, ‘online programme’ means
the recognized course(s) of studies leading to award of
a degree or diploma by approved institutions under these
regulations imparting online learning instruction by
such institutions through learning management system
using e-tutorials, web resources, multimedia technology
interface, web-based applications and e-learning
materials designed towards providing flexible learning
opportunities by overcoming separation of teacher and
learner.
Institutions will be able to
offer online degrees in all fields, except engineering,
medicine, dental, pharmacy, nursing, architecture and
physiotherapy.
UGC allows autonomy to 62
institutions
NEW DELHI
: On March 20 the University Grants Commission (UGC)
approved full autonomy for 62 higher educational
institutions, including JNU, BHU, AMU, TERI and
University of Hyderabad, says a PTI report.
The decision was taken at a UGC meeting where five
Central universities, 21 state universities, 26 private
universities besides 10 other colleges were granted
autonomy under the Autonomous Colleges Regulation.
Human Resource
Development Minister Prakash Javadekar announced the
decision at a press conference in New Delhi in the
afternoon.
Giving details of the
decision Javadekar said that the sixty Higher
Educational Institutions which have been granted
autonomy includes 52 Universities namely 5 Central
universities, 21 state universities, 24 deemed
universities, and 2 private universities.
He explained that these
universities will remain within the ambit of UGC but
will have the freedom to start new courses, off campus
centers, skill development courses, research parks and
any other new academic programs. They will also have the
freedom to hire foreign faculty, enroll foreign
students, give incentive based emoluments to the
faculty, enter into academic collaborations and run open
distance learning programmes.
Besides, eight
colleges have also been granted autonomy, the HRD
Minister said. The eight autonomous collages will be
free to set their own syllabus, hold examinations, carry
out evaluation as well as declare results. In this case,
only the degree will be awarded by the respective
university.
The Minister
also said that a show cause notice will be given to
three deemed universities which are lacking in quality.
The central universities
which have been granted autonomy include : Jawaharlal
Nehru University (JNU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU),
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), University of Hyderabad
and the English and Foreign Languages University,
Telangana.
The state
universities which have been granted the autonomous
status are Jadavpur University, Andhra University,
Algappa University, National University of Law, Utkal
University, Kurukshetra University, Osmania University,
Guru Nanak Dev University, University of Jammu,
University of Mysore, Anna University, Panjab University
and University of Madras, among others.
OP Jindal
Global University, Sonipat and Pandit Deen Dayal
Petroleum University, Gujarat are among the private
institutions selected by the UGC for the autonomous
status.
The 10 colleges
which have been granted autonomy will have full freedom
but not degree-awarding powers, Javadekar said.
The following is the list
of Institutions
granted autonomy by UGC :
CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES
S.No. |
Name of the University
|
NAAC Score
|
Category
|
1. |
Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi |
3.77 |
I
|
2. |
University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad |
3.72 |
I |
3. |
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi |
3.41 |
II |
4. |
Aligarh Muslim University , Aligarh |
3.35 |
II |
5 |
The English
& Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad |
3.26 |
II |
STATE UNIVERSITIES
S.No. |
Name of the University |
NAAC Score |
Category
|
1. |
Jadavpur University, Jadavpur, Kolkata
|
3.68 |
I |
2. |
Algappa University, Karaikudi
|
3.64 |
I |
3. |
NALSAR University of Law, Telangana |
3.60 |
I |
4. |
SavitribaiPhule Pune University, Pune |
3.60 |
I
|
5. |
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam |
3.60 |
I
|
6. |
National Law University Delhi, Dwarka |
3.59 |
I
|
7. |
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar |
3.53 |
I
|
8. |
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra |
3.52 |
I
|
9. |
Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati |
3.52 |
I
|
10 |
Osmania University, Hyderabad |
3.52 |
I
|
11. |
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar |
3.51 |
I
|
12. |
University of Jammu, Jammu |
3.51 |
I
|
13. |
University of Mysore, Mysuru |
3.47 |
II
|
14. |
Anna University, Chennai |
3.46 |
II
|
15. |
Punjab University, Chandigarh |
3.35 |
II
|
16. |
Kakatiya University, Warangal |
3.35 |
II
|
17. |
Punjabi University, Patiala |
3.34 |
II
|
18. |
Rajiv Gandhi University of Law, Patiala |
3.32 |
II
|
19. |
National Law University Odisha, Cuttack |
3.32 |
II
|
20. |
University of Madras, Chennai |
3.32 |
II
|
21. |
Guru Jambheshwar University of Science
& Technology, Hisar |
3.28 |
II
|
DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITIES (Category I)
S.No.
|
Name of Deemed University
|
NAAC Score
|
Category
|
-
|
Homi Bhabha National Institute Mumbai, Maharashtra.
|
A+ (3.53)11.05.2015 to 10.05.2020
|
I
|
-
|
Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
|
A+ (3.71)15.11.2015 to 14.11.2020 |
I
|
-
|
Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM)
Visakhapatnam, AP.
|
A + (3.53)28.03.2017 to 27.03.2022
|
I
|
-
|
Narsee Monjee Institute of Studies Mumbai, Maharashtra.
|
A + (3.59)12.09.2017 to 11.09.2024
|
I
|
-
|
Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute Chennai,
TN.
|
A + (3.62)24.09.2014 to 23.09.2019
|
I
|
-
|
Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Pune, Maharashtra
|
A + (3.62)03.03.2015 to 02.03.2020
|
I
|
-
|
Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA) Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
|
A + (3.54)11.05.2015 to 10.05.2020
|
I
|
-
|
Symbiosis International Pune, Maharashtra.
|
A + (3.58)19.01.2016 to 18.01.2021
|
I
|
-
|
Institute of Chemical Technology,Mumbai, Maharashtra.
|
A ++ (3.77)27.11.2017 to 26.11.2022
|
I
|
-
|
Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences Wardha, Maharashtra.
|
A + (3.53)30.10.2017 to 29.10.2024
|
I
|
-
|
Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai, Maharashtra.
|
A ++ (3.89)19.02.2016 to 18.02.2021
|
I
|
DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITIES (Category II)
S. No.
|
Name of the Deemed University
|
NAAC Score
|
Category
|
-
|
TERI School of Advanced Studies
New Delhi.
|
A (3.26)23.03.2013 to 22.03.2018
|
II
|
-
|
Jain University Bangalore,
Karnataka.
|
A (3.31)19.07.2017 to 18.07.2022
|
II
|
-
|
Vellore Institute of Technology Vellore, Tamil Nadu.
|
A (3.42)03.03.2015 to 02.03.2020
|
II
|
-
|
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
|
A (3.30)11.07.2016 to 10.07.2021
|
II
|
-
|
KLE Academy of Higher Education & Research Belgaum, Karnataka.
|
A (3.34)19.01.2016 to 18.01.2021
|
II
|
-
|
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
A (3.40)24.09.2014 to 23.09.2019
|
II
|
-
|
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Bhubaneswar.
|
A (3.48)25.05.2016 to 24.05.2021
|
II
|
-
|
JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research Mysore, Karnataka.
|
A (3.34)08.07.2013 to 07.07.2018
|
II
|
-
|
ICFAI Foundation for Higher
Education & Research, Hyderabad.
|
A (3.43)26.05.2015 to 25.05.2020
|
II
|
-
|
Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
|
A (3.31)02.12.2016 to 01.12.202
|
II
|
-
|
Padmashree Dr D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
|
A (3.40)10.12.2014 to 09.12.2019
|
II
|
-
|
The Indian Law Institute New Delhi.
|
A (3.35)28.03.2017 to 27.03.2022
|
II
|
-
|
Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
|
A (3.35)16.11.2015 to 15.11.2020
|
II
|
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES
S.No.
|
Name of the Private University
|
NAAC Score
|
Category
|
1
|
O.P. Jindal Global University Sonipat, Haryana.
|
A (3.26)17.03.2016 to 16.03.2021
|
II
|
2
|
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
|
A (3.39)16.12.2016 to 15.12.2021
|
II
|
LIST OF COLLEGES CONFERRED AUTONOMOUS STATUS
S.No |
Name of the College &affiliating University |
-
|
Yashvantrao
Chavan Institute of Science, Satara, 533, Sadar Bazar, Satara
Maharashtra-415 001 affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur
|
-
|
Sri
Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Rajiv Gandhi Salai,
Kalavakkam-603 110 (Tamilnadu) affiliated to Anna University, Chennai
|
-
|
G.
Narayanamma Institute of Technology & Science (For Women),
8-1-297/2/I, Shaikpet, Hyderabad-500 104 Telangana affiliated to JNTU
Hyderabad, Telangana
|
-
|
Vivekanand College, 2130/E, Tarabai Park, Kolhapur-416 003 (Maharastra) affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur
|
-
|
Sri
Vasavi Engineering College, Pedatadepalli, Tadepalligudem-534 101 (West
Godavari Dist.,) (Andhra Pradesh) affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru
Technological University, Kakinada
|
-
|
Bonam
Venkata Chalamayya Engineering College, Odalarevu-553 210,Allavaram
Mandal, East Godavari Dist., Andhra Pradesh affiliated to Jawaharlal
Nehru Technological University, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
|
-
|
Jai
Hind College Basantsing Institute of Science & J.T. Lalvani College
of Commerce, 23-24 Backbay Reclamation, A-Road, Churchgate, Mumbai-400
020 affiliated to University of Mumbai, Mumbai-400 032
|
-
|
Shri
Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal’s Mithibai College of Arts, Chauhan
Institute of Amrutben Jivanlal College of Commerce and Economics, Vile
Parle (West), Mumbai-400 056 affiliated to University of Mumbai
|
UGC seeks applications
for 'eminence' status
By Our
Correspondent
NEW DELHI : From September 13 the University Grants
Commission started entertaining applications from
institutions of higher learning seeking "status of
eminence".
The UGC will give each institution 90 days to apply for
the status, which will give them the freedom to decide
their own curriculum, fee structure and admit foreigners
up to 30 per cent of the total student strength.
Higher education secretary K.K. Sharma and officiating
UGC chairperson V.S. Chauhan said 20 institutions - 10
government and 10 private - would be chosen for the
maiden status by March 2018.
With the status of eminence, a government institution
can get grants of up to Rs 1,000 crore with the
condition that it has to raise at least 25 per cent of
the cost for proposed infrastructure development over
the next five years.
Officials said the government institutions ranked among
the top 50 by the HRD ministry in their respective
categories such as engineering, general universities or
management, would be eligible to apply for the status.
The institutions will have to present a report on how
they plan to achieve excellence over the next 15 years.
There is, however, no eligibility criteria for private
institutions. Even sponsoring groups planning to set up
new institutes can apply for the status with their
prospective plans.
The private institutions will not get any central
grants.
Officials said an empowered group of experts would be
constituted by the UGC with approval from the
appointments committee of the cabinet to scrutinising
the proposals and recommend institutions.
The UGC has already notified the UGC (Institutions of
Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2017,
for private institutions and UGC (Declaration of
Government Educational Institutions as Institutions of
Eminence) Guidelines, 2017, for public ones.
Unlike other institutions, the 20 with the status of
eminence would be able to decide their free structure,
particularly for foreign students.
The IITs currently charge Rs 2 lakh annually for B.Tech
courses for domestic students and Rs 6 lakh for
foreigners. The new status will allow them to increase
their fee with provision of loan and scholarships.
The "institutions of excellence" will also have the
freedom to decide their curriculum, unlike those that
are guided by a UGC model.
UGC distance learning
rules from next year
NEW DELHI
: Granting relief to a number of institutions, the
University Grants Commission (UGC) has postponed the
implementation of regulations for open and distance
learning (ODL) programmes to the 2018-19 academic
session.
"The process of admission
for 2017-18 by the universities/institutions is ongoing.
Keeping in view the para 3, sub-para (1) of Part-II of
the said regulations, it has been decided that the UGC
(Open and Distance learning) Regulations, 2017, will be
operationalised from 2018-19," the UGC said in a fresh
notification on July 17.
The move comes following
realisation that an immediate implementation of the
regulations from the date of notification would
technically render invalid all the ODL programmes
offered by various higher educational institutions in
case they do not seek fresh recognition from the UGC.
The UGC had notified the
ODL Regulations, 2017 in an official gazette on June
23.
Many of the universities and other higher educational
institutions, which had just got the UGC's approval to
their open and distance learning (ODL) programmes in
May-June, found themselves in a catch-22 situation as
the new regulations mandatorily required them to make a
fresh application to get approval for their ODL courses.
Stalling of new admissions to the approved ODL
programmes in the academic session of 2017-18 was
another immediate consequence of its implementation.
"Every higher educational institution offering a
programme in the ODL mode in pursuance of an approval
granted to it for the purpose by the then Distance
Education Council or by the commission or by any other
regulatory authority or intending to offer a programme
in ODL mode from the academic session immediately after
the notification of these regulations shall, for grant
of recognition, make an application to the commission,"
para 3, sub-para (1) of Part-II of the UGC Regulations
stipulate.
Open varsities allowed
M.Phil, Ph.D programme
By Sanjiv Dube
NEW DELHI : Indira Gandhi National Open
University's (IGNOU) mounting pressure on the University
Grants Commission has borne fruit. The UGC has allowed
open universities to run M.Phil and Ph.D programme in
non-technical subjects.
This was disclosed by Human
Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on
August 30 after a meeting with the vice-chancellors of
all the open universities here.
"The open universities have
been allowed to offer research programmes. But they have
to follow the minimum norms," he told reporters after
the meeting.
The open universities have
been specifically told that the relief will hold good
only for those universities that meet all the quality
requirements for these programmes, such as holding
entrance tests and enforcing course work before
beginning the thesis.
The relief comes after seven years as the open
universities were barred from running M.Phil and Ph.D
programme vide
Regulation 5 of the UGC Regulation
2009 notified on July 17, 2009.
With the change in stand,
mostly because of persistent defiance by the IGNOU and
brewing revolt by others, the UGC recently wrote to all
the 15 open universities allowing them to offer research
(M.Phil and Ph.D) programmes. They are, however,
barred from offering
technical programmes such as B.Tech, M.Tech and
engineering Ph.Ds.
In July this year when the
UGC revised its Regulations 2009 it retained the bar
clause and hence the open universities continued to be
barred from running research courses.
The universities are
established either by and Act of Parliament or a state
legislature and have the autonomy to frame their own
courseware and award degrees. The restrictions imposed
on them, they feel are unlawful.
At today's meeting, the vice-chancellors gave vent to
their feeling and told the minister about the difficulties they had been facing from the
University Grants Commission, which began regulating
open universities since 2013.
Earlier, the open universities were monitored by the Distance
Education Council, created under the IGNOU Act. But in
2012, the government brought the council under the
commission through an executive order.
Subsequently, the council was renamed the Distance
Education Bureau which, functioning under the
commission, came up with its own regulations in 2014
asking the open universities to seek its approval for
every course every year.
Towards this, each of the 15 universities had to furnish
an affidavit every year saying it did not offer any
online or research courses.
Even after the ban was imposed in 2009, some of the open
universities like IGNOU had continued to offer research
programmes, citing the acts under which they had been
established. But the 2014 regulations of the Distance
Education Bureau forced them to scrap their M.Phil and Ph.D
programmes.
"We have decided to resume M.Phil and Ph.D programmes from
next year," IGNOU vice-chancellor Ravindra Kumar said.
Today's meeting also decided to allow 20 per cent of
every course in any distance education programme to be
taught online, enabling the students to pursue this part
of the course at a different university if they want.
Universities teaching regular courses are already
allowed to offer up to 20 per cent of the course content
online, with the same concession to inter-varsity
student mobility.
Varsities told to adopt
online course norms
By Sanjiv Dube
NEW DELHI : On July 27 last year the
UGC directed
all universities and deemed universities to amend their
act/statutes or ordinances by August-end to facilitate
transfer of credits of their students opting for the
degree programmes under scheme SWAYAM, a massive online
open courses (Moocs) platform.
To give effect to its directive the UGC, on July 19,
notified the UGC (Credit Framework
for Online Learning Courses through Swayam) Regulation,
2016 in the official gazette (extraordinary).
This was done, according to
the notification, in exercise of the powers conferred by
clause (f) and (g) of sub-section (1) of Section 26 of
the UGC Act 1956.
According to the
notification SWAYAM (Study Web of Active Learning by
Young and Aspiring Minds) was being launched to "widen
the access to higher education and to bring down its
cost by using technological advances" and added that
this was being done through "Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOCs).
The notification authorises
the UGC to notify a standing committee to resolve any
issues that may arise in the implementation of these
regulations during the transition period of three years.
The programme, which seeks
to fill the gap created by the acute shortage of quality
teachers in the country's higher educational
institutions, is likely to be dedicated to the nation by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15.
The Swayam will offer a virtual class room to students
with structured lectures by subject experts.
"An institution can only allow up to 20% of the total
courses being offered in a particular programme in a
semester through the online learning courses provided
through SWAYAM platform," the UGC regulations stipulate.
Students, registered with the Swayam, can complete their
entire programme by attending classes online and take
"proctored" examinations at the end of each semester to
move to the next level. For the proctored examinations,
centres with adequate facilities will be opened in
universities.
The credit earned by the students will be transferred to
their parent university by the one conducting the
programme at the Moocs platform.
If PhD before 2009, no
need to clear NET
NEW DELHI
: The Central government gave a major relief to
researchers. It decided to exempt pre-2009 Ph.D holders
from clearing the mandatory National Eligibility Test
(NET) to get teaching jobs. A notification in this
regard will be issued soon.
The information was given in the Lok Sabha on May 9 by
HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who said the BJP government
had decided to undo the “injustice” the Congress-led UPA
government had meted out to research scholars by
mandating NET even for pre-2009 PhD holders.
Prior to 2009, there was no requirement for PhD holders
to clear NET or State Level Eligibility Test to become
assistant professors. This regulation was brought by the
UGC after reports of educational institutions lowering
the bar for teaching.
Subsequently, the UGC issued “Minimum Qualifications for
Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in
Universities and Colleges” during the UPA tenure, making
it mandatory for PhD holders (pre and post-2009) to
clear NET for jobs.
No engg, tech courses in
distance mode
NEW DELHI
: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has banned
universities and institutes from offering diploma and
post graduate courses in engineering and technology
through distance learning mode until further orders.
In its
notification dated March 11,
the regulator has warned that it would take action
against institutions violating the ban.
The Commission, in the process of finalising regulations
for open and distant learning mode, has also said it
will not give retrospective approval to distant learning
programmes by institutes "at this stage".
The institutions have been barred from offering BE and
B.Tech through distant education mode following a ban in
2009-10 by the former distance education council on the
orders of the Human Resource Development Ministry.
Referring to the government's previous decision, the
Commission, in its notice, directed universities and
higher educational institutions not to offer degrees in
engineering and technology programmes.
"No university/institution deemed to be
university/institution should offer diploma, bachelors
and masters level programme in engineering and
technology other than MBA and MCA till the finalisation
of the UGC (open and distance learning) regulations,
2014 or notification of relevant regulations by an
independent regulatory authority established by the
central government, whichever is earlier," the
commission said in its public notice.
"UGC has also decided not to consider any request for
ex-post facto approval for the ODL programmes offered by
any university or other higher educational institutions
at this stage," it added.
The notification did not mention names of the
institutions that offer such courses.
"The UGC has been issuing guidelines and notifications
from time to time to regulate courses being offered, but
it does not have legal backing to enforce its
guidelines, particularly over two thirds of the
universities and colleges which are not under the grant
list of the higher education regulator," UGC member M M
Ansari said when contacted.
He also wondered why the Commission has to issue a
notification when it did not have a comprehensive list
of institutions violating the ban.
"Issuing such notifications without identifying the
institutions has no meaning," he said adding that there
were many private universities, deemed to be
universities and state universities offering such
programmes in distance learning mode but the UGC did not
have the authority to stop them.
UGC makes affiliation rules tough for
tech colleges
NEW DELHI
:
The
technical
education institutions in the country will now have to
face relatively tougher rules for university
affiliation.
This follows the Supreme Court decision in
Association of Management of
Private Colleges vs All India Council for Technical
Education & others
delivered on April 25, 2013.
According to the new affiliation rules --
UGC Regulations 2014 --
finalized by the University Grants Commission (UGC)
recently both the old and the new engineering
colleges would have to produce complete information
about building and staff on the affidavit to be
considered for an affiliation.
Called as the UGC [Affiliation of colleges offering
technical education by universities] Regulations, 2014
the new rules make it mandatory for the new colleges to
deposit Rs 1 crore for 10 years in the university
account and Rs 30 lakh as ‘security fund’.
The
UGC [Affiliation of colleges offering technical
education by universities] Regulations, 2014 would be
effective from the 2014-15 academic session.
The
universities would have to ensure compulsory
accreditation from the NSC and its programmes from NBA
to the colleges, according to the UGC Regulations 2014
to be notified soon.
According to the UGC, the university has to be most
cautious and vigilant while giving affiliation. A new
college can be given affiliation with a condition that
it has committed to give related application for NBA
evaluation within six months.
Old
colleges should also submit application for
accreditation from the NASE or the NBA within six months
to six years. The Commission said that a university
should have to submit a compliance report every year to
it regarding all affiliated colleges. The report would
be uploaded on the website of the university. The UGC
will take action against universities for non-compliance
of its rules.
The
Vivekananda Technical University has asked all the
institutions, which have applied for affiliation for the
year 2014-15, to submit their reports regarding
building, infrastructure and human resources by April 4
compulsorily.
The
affiliation fee has also been fixed for the colleges.
The fee for minority institutions will be Rs 2 lakh and
for other institutions Rs 3 lakh. For extension of
affiliation, the fee will be Rs 75,000 for minority
institutions and for other institutions Rs 1 lakh. The
late fee will be Rs 2 lakh.
Technical and engineering colleges have to deposit Rs 1
crore fund for affiliation, whereas, for pharmacy,
architecture and MCA, the amount would Rs 50 lakh each.
Besides, the engineering colleges have to deposit Rs 30
lakh as security fund, whereas, it would be Rs 15 lakh
each for others.
The
University Executive Council will take decision
regarding affiliation. The new rules have caused a
flutter among the operators of old and new colleges.
Many old colleges neither have sufficient building, nor
staff. Now, as all information has to be given in the
affidavit, the danger of action is looming large on
giving wrong information.
Accreditation must for higher edu institutions
By Sanjiv Dube
NEW DELHI : All
higher educational institutions in the country, except
technical education one, will now have to get accredited
under law.
The law, called the
UGC
(Mandatory Assessment and Accreditation of Higher
Education Institutions) Regulations 2012, were notified
in the official gazette on February 19, and come into
force with immediate effect.
The UGC Regulations 2012
say that all higher education institutions who fail to
comply with the assessment and accreditation clause will
be barred from financial aid granted by the UGC or the
Ministry of Human Resource Development but says nothing
of the private institutions who do not take or aspire to
take any financial aid from the government. Nor do the
Regulations say anything about institutions like the
Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) who
blatantly defy the UGC and the All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE).
The Regulation require that all higher education
institutions (expect technical education colleges
governed by the AICTE) apply for accreditation within a
period of six months to the accreditation agencies
namely the National Assessment and Accreditation
Council, the National Board of Accreditation, and the
National Accreditation Board currently recognised by the UGC.
The Regulations say that all institutions which have been in existence for six
years or from where two batches of students have passed
out (whichever is earlier) will need to seek
accreditation within this stipulated time. Those that
haven’t yet completed these criteria must apply within
six months of completing six years of operation or
passing out of two batches apply for accreditation.
The Regulations, says the notification, seeks to ensure that students can make
informed choices about academic courses, institutions
can raise quality and seek international recognition for
which benchmarking is necessary. Hitherto, accreditation
was voluntary in India and less than 10 per cent of all
institutions are accredited.
The regulations will be applicable to all 44 Central
universities,; about 300 state universities, over 100
deemed universities and over
33,000 colleges of which 6,000 are UGC funded.