Deemed univs fast-tracked

UGC, HRD Do U-Turn On Basic Requirements

Akshaya Mukul | TNN

New Delhi:How is a private educational institution that is found lacking in infrastructure or faculty by one University Grants Commission team considered fit for deemed university status a few months later by another? That’s a question the UGC and the HRD ministry will need to answer if the quality of higher education is to be maintained.

Investigations by TOI show that in many cases, the UGC’s committee that visited these private institutions did not give a positive report, citing either lack of infrastructure or faculty. Even so, the authorities ordered a second inspection and this time the review committee found that the institution had everything needed to qualify for the ‘deemed university’ tag.

Recognition promptly followed. Examples include Periyar University in Tamil Nadu, Shobit University, Meerut, Sumandeep Medical University, Ahmedabad and Priest Punnaya Ramajayam Institute of Science and Technology, TN. In all these cases did the UGC change its mind within a few months or was recognition given at the instance of the HRD ministry?

Another method used was the institutions’ claims that they were ‘de novo’ (working in new areas of knowledge like nano-or bio-technology) institutes. It helped them subvert the criteria of getting deemed status, which ranges from ten years of outstanding research or having five post-graduate departments.

MEDICAL MALADY
In many cases, a UGC committee visited private institutions and gave a negative report, citing either lack of faculty or infrastructure

But the authorities ordered a second inspection. The review panel then cleared the institutions for ‘deemed univ’ tag

Many colleges claimed they were de novo (working in new areas of knowledge like nano or biotech) institutions

This helped them subvert criteria for deemed status, which includes 10 yrs of outstanding research or 5 PG departments

UGC blames HRD ministry for spate of deemed univs
New Delhi: Although UGC secretary R K Chauhan claimed that only 15-16 of the 100 private institutions granted deemed status in the last five years fall in the ‘de novo’ category, sources in the commission said at least 60% of them were in this category. “It helped the UGC as well as the institution,’’ a source said.

Chauhan blames the HRD ministry for the spate of deemed universities. He said, “The UGC has only an advisory role and deemed university status is given by the HRD ministry. The decision to send a review committee is taken by the full commission and the chairman has no role in it.’’ To add to his point, he said, “Even the secretary, higher education, and the expenditure secretary are members of the UGC.’’

Take the case of Periyar University in Tamil Nadu. The first committee went to inspect the campus in 2007 and found it lacking in certain areas. But in July the same year, the UGC decided to send a review committee that found that everything was fine with the institution. Result? In August 2007, it became a deemed university.

Shobit University, Meerut, is another case. In January 2006, a UGC committee, according to Chauhan, gave an overall positive report but “there were some negative areas also’’. In April 2006, the UGC decided to send a review committee and by January 2007 Shobit had deemed university status. Chauhan had no idea about the negative areas and how these were overcome.

As for the ‘de novo’ category, the most glaring is the case of Sumandeep Medical College, Ahmedabad. In August 2006, it was found lacking in certain criteria but by January 2007 it became a deemed university. Chauhan said it was under the ‘de novo’ category but did not remember which new areas of knowledge it was catering to. “It has a medical college, a physiotherapy centre and even does research,’’ said Chauhan.

In April 2005, a UGC committee rejected its proposal to become a deemed university. In June 2005, a revised proposal was received and a review committee visited it. And by early 2006, it got deemed status. Chauhan did not remember the grounds on which the status was denied in the first round and these were overcome within a few months.

The eagerness on the UGC’s part to grant deemed university status has landed it in trouble, at least in one case. In the matter of Graphic Era University, Dehra Dun, the commission has been dragged to court by the Uttarakhand government. The state government granted land to this institution on condition that it would give priority to local students. The UGC, without crosschecking, gave it deemed status.

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