The University Grants Commission wants to hold a fresh inspection of >41 deemed universities which were sought to be de-recognised on the basis of the Tandon Committee report.
However, when senior counsel Rakesh Diwedi made a mention of the UGC’s application before the Supreme Court on Monday, Additional Solicitor-General Indira Jaising, appearing for the >Centre , said there was > no need for a fresh inspection . She said the UGC had already studied three reports — of the UGC, Tandon Committee and a committee of officers — and a decision could be taken on the basis of them.
A Bench of Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Vikramajit Sen granted the Centre time till May 5 to respond to the application.
The UGC said subsequent to the January 9 order of the court asking it to decide in two months the case of the 44 deemed universities afresh after giving them an opportunity of hearing, notices were issued and responses received. (Out of these, one got the status of institution of excellence and two have surrendered their deemed universities status). At its meeting from March 25 to 27, the UGC discussed the issue and it was felt that a lot of time had elapsed since the three reports were submitted.
Further, the UGC had in 2010 issued fresh guidelines on deemed universities which provide for review of their status every five years. Therefore, it was decided to conduct a fresh inspection to examine whether their status could be renewed or not. Hence the UGC sought extension of time till July 31 for completing the exercise.
Acting on a petition filed by advocate Viplav Sharma, the Centre had, during the hearing, appointed the Tandon Committee, which classified 122 deemed universities into three categories. Forty-four of them were sought to be de-recognised on the ground that they did not have the required infrastructure and that they had become ‘teaching shops’.
Thereafter, the government appointed a high-power panel to review the Tandon report.
The panel, after, hearing the affected institutions, held that there was no reason to interfere with the findings. The government accepted the report and the court on January 9 said the UGC should undertake the exercise afresh in two months’ time.
