The ‘UGC Regulations for Deemed Universities 2010' is a retrograde step that interferes with the autonomy and freedom of private university administration, according to the founder-Chancellor of VIT University, G. Viswanathan.
Mr. Viswanathan has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in response to the MHRD's recent announcements with regard to reforms in higher education. He said the Ministry had announced certain policies with good intention, but steps to implement them seemed retrograde, which “strengthened the permit raj and discouraged the participation of the private sector.”
Pointing to regulations that prohibit the managing trustee or any other trustee of the trust which runs the University from holding the positions of Chancellor as well as the Chairman of the Board of Management (BoM) and limit the number of trustees on the BOM to 2, he said: “The focus ought to be on how sound the governance is, the quality of education and the outcomes of the institution rather than on disallowing trustees to take part in governance without regard to their capability, dedication and honesty.”
“Unfair to fix fees”
On the proposal to fix the fees to be collected by deemed universities, Mr. Viswanathan said that while the government did not fix the fees to be charged by private hospitals for various essential services rendered to the public, it would be unfair to fix the fees for deemed universities.
Referring to the Tandon Committee report on deemed universities, he said it had “tarnished the good reputation of most of the deemed universities” and prevented the “creation of many new private deemed universities.” It also replaced a report that a UGC Committee comprising leading academicians had put together.
“Laudable move”
Calling ‘The Foreign Educational Institutional Bill 2010' a “laudable initiative,” Mr. Viswanathan sought a level-playing field for deemed universities with the same autonomy outside the regime of the UGC and the AICTE.
Talking to The Hindu on Monday, he said: “There is a need for expanding both the public and private education system. Since the government is unable to spend money, it is unable to expand the state education system. In the same breath, it is disallowing expansion of private universities. Given the acute shortage of seats in the country, there will be enough elbow room for all students only if there is expansion of the higher education sector.”
