At last, the Union Human Resource Ministry has decided to act against the Deemed-to-be-Universities (DUs) that have not met the prescribed standards and norms. It has informed the Supreme Court that 44 DUs stand to lose the status in the light of the findings of the committee headed by P.N. Tandon that went into the functioning of the 126 DUs across the country. They were found to suffer from serious deficiencies and aberrations, with many of them being run as family enterprises. In the case of another 44 DUs, which do not face imminent de-recognition, notices will be issued requiring them to rectify the defects perceived in their organisation, infrastructure, or management. Tamil Nadu has the dubious distinction of hosting as many as 16 of the DUs to be divested of the recognition. Many of the delinquent institutions started, initially, as medical or engineering colleges and then launched arts and science colleges to boost their overall student strength and ultimately get the ‘university’ tag of the ‘deemed’ variety. Flawed, if not dubious, management practices and admission of students beyond the limit determined by the norms seem to be the two major factors that invited de-recognition.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has held out the assurance that the two lakh students in these DUs will not be adversely affected and they will be able to get their degrees. The Ministry has said these institutions will be re-affiliated to their respective universities. It is for the government to ensure that the transition process is swift and smooth. Ever since Mr. Sibal took over, there have been serious moves to stem the rot in the higher education sector. Over the past decade, there had been a proliferation of deemed universities, mostly in the southern States, thanks to the clamour for the DU tag that gave managements a great deal of functional autonomy. These DUs even succeeded in persuading the government and the University Grants Commission to let them drop the appellation ‘deemed’ and call themselves ‘universities’. Now, the report of the Tandon committee and the United Progressive Government’s favourable response to it hold the promise of a salutary change in the situation. The HRD Ministry needs to go far beyond the de-recognition move and bring about systemic changes in professional education. For instance, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is crying for an overhaul in its functioning, especially in the sanctioning procedures and norms applicable for engineering colleges. On the medical education front, there is a strong and urgent case for expansion so as to keep pace with health care needs of the community.
Correction
The above Editorial "A step in the right direction" said the Union Human Resource Ministry had decided to act against the Deemed-tobe Universities that have not met the prescribed standards and norms. It should have been the Union Human Resource Development Ministry.
