Association of University Teachers (AUT), Tamil Nadu, has written to the Chief Minister asking for regulation of self-financing colleges.
In its letter, the teachers’ body said there were 392 self-financing arts and science, 510 engineering, 750 teacher training and 41 nursing and paramedical colleges in the State.
There was no law or statute to regulate the colleges, though a few judgements had said that the Tamilnadu Private College Regulation Act, 1976 applied to the arts and science colleges. But in reality, the colleges did not follow the Act.
Therefore, it would only be appropriate to draw the State Government’s attention to the Kerala Self Financing College Teaching and Non Teaching Employees (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021, promulgated by the Kerala Government on February 20, 2021.
The salient features of the Ordinance included designating the affiliating university as the regulatory body for self financing colleges, filling up teaching and non-teaching posts as per the University regulations, appointing faculty and employees as per UGC, AICTE regulations and giving time to improve academic qualification in case they did not fulfil the qualification, making service conditions of teachers on a par with government-run and government-aided colleges and enabling the teachers to contribute to EPF and providing insurance cover.
Highlighting a few more features, the Association urged the Chief Minister to bring about a similar regulation of self-financing colleges in Tamil Nadu.
