NSD loses deemed university status on own request

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on Friday withdrew the deemed to be university status granted to the National School of Drama (NSD) as it had failed to fulfil the stipulated conditions. The NSD Society, in its meeting on October 29 last, had recommended to the government to denotify the institution’s deemed to be university status so that it could continue as an institute of national importance or a special university to be established by an Act of Parliament.

The NSD Society was also of the view that deemed university status could undermine the professional training, autonomy and flexibility required in the creative fields such as theatre. Importantly, it was felt that the academic and administrative autonomy of the NSD would be adversely affected and it would face specific problems in the matter of appointing teachers best suited to the practice-oriented theatre training institute.

The NSD was given the deemed university status in March 2005, provided it adhered to the guidelines/instructions issued by the UGC from time to time, including taking steps to strengthen its research capabilities, teaching faculty and library.

Source: The Hindu, October 7, 2011

>Breather for 44 deemed universities facing derecognition

>The 44 deemed universities facing derecognition due to deficiencies in their infrastructure have received a fresh lease of life since a new committee will conduct a probe and report to the government in six weeks. The Supreme Court will receive the report from the government a month later. Since the new academic year will start by then, the universities under cloud will continue functioning without hitch till then.

The Centre had earlier clarified the 200,000 students enrolled in these universities at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels would not suffer on account of the failure of the universities. Colleges affiliated to these universities would continue to impart education. It is estimated that 2,124 students are doing research in M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes and 74,808 students are pursuing distance education programmes. If the universities lose their recognition, the students would be absorbed in other recognised universities, according to government assurance.

Last year, 132 deemed universities were derecognised following reports of various deficiencies. Later the number was reduced to 44 and status quo was ordered in regard to them. Since then, they were functioning under court orders. As the universities protested and alleged they were not heard before taking the drastic action, the court appointed Prof. P N Tandon Committee to go into the deficiencies. The panel pointed out several shortcomings. For instance, it found families rather than professional academicians controlling the institutions in several universities.

In an order passed in January this year, these 44 universities were asked to rectify the inadequacies like proper buildings, laboratories and other facilities required for professional colleges. However, the bench headed by Justice Dalveer Bhandari today put the earlier committee apparently in cold storage and decided to wait for the report of the new committee. Each university would be given an individual hearing drawing attention to the deficiencies and they would be asked to explain their stand. More or less, the same procedure was adopted by the earlier committee also. However, the court decided to have afresh appraisal to take a definitive decision about the fate of these universities.

Source: Business Standard, April 12, 2011

>HRD to check if deemed univs are complying with UGC rules

>The HRD ministry’s notice to 44 deemed universites will not only point out deficiencies found by the Tandon Committee but also ask them if the new guidelines of University Grants Commission (UGC) are being adhered to.

Though the ministry will not make a judgment on each of the 44 universities with a total 206,000 students, its comprehensive report to the Supreme Court will specify on what counts these institutions have faltered or taken corrective steps to sort out the deficiencies highlighted by the Tandon Committee.

The ministry will again seek the help of Tandon Committee to examine the representations of deemed universities. In its earlier report, Tandon Committee after a long deliberation that included presentation by all deemed universities had said 44 of them did not deserve the tag of university since they lacked necessary academic and administrative infrastructure.

Many deficiencies pointed out by the Tandon Committee relate to issues like lack of doctorate students and absence of publications in prestigious academic journals. It is unlikely that in a year’s time, these universities would have sorted out these deficiencies, a senior ministry official said.

On Tuesday, the SC had asked HRD ministry to send notice to 44 universities. The apex court also said institutions shall be entitled to not only give a reply on the deficiencies but also make a representation on corrective measures.
However, ministry sources said, “The Supreme Court could have asked us to issue the notice earlier. Tandon Committee had already gone through the process in great detail two years back.”

Source: The Times of India, January 13, 2011

>Government to reconsider move to derecognise 44 deemed varsities

>In a bid to soften the blow, the government on Tuesday agreed to issue individual notices, instead of show cause notices, to the 44 deemed universities adjudged as unfit by the Tandon Committee. Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati gave an undertaking to this effect to the Supreme Court bench comprising justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma.

An HRD ministry official said the ministry was not reconsidering its decision on the unviability of the 44 deemed universities. Individual notices to these universities will be followed by replies by these institutions, personal hearing and if required further representation. At the end of this, a decision will be taken by the ministry, the official said. Not using the term show cause, according to the official, was more a matter of atmospherics, than any real difference. Mr. Vahanvati assured that wherever necessary the government would conduct physical verification of such universities. The court while recording AG’s submissions granted the government two weeks to issue the notices and two weeks thereafter to the aggrieved varsities to file their replies. The bench asked the government to pass individual orders on the replies sent by the universities and place a comprehensive report before the bench by April 23. The court will head the matter on May 3.

The bench said that its earlier status quo order restraining the government from taking any action against the universities would continue till further directions. Earlier, the court in its interim order had restrained the Centre from acting against the deemed universities facing derecognition. It had asked the government to furnish a clear road map of progamme to protect the interest of nearly 200,000 students of 44 such universities whose prospects are in limbo due to such move of the government.

The court said its paramount concern at the moment was future of the students who would be affected in the event of the varsities being stripped of their deemed status. The bench during the earlier hearing had asked various state governments as to whether they would grant affiliation to these universities in case the Centre derecognises them. The courts order had followed the Centre’s move to derecognise the universities on the basis of Tandon Committee report, which had recommended stripping some of them of their deemed tag on the ground that they had emerged as personal fiefdoms of their promoters and had turned out to be pure commercial ventures of their managements.

Source: The Economic Times, January 12, 2011

>Relief for 44 deemed unfit universities

>Forty-four universities damned by the Tandon Committee and recommended for stripping of deemed status will now get an opportunity to stay afloat by declaring steps taken by them to put infrastructure in place as needed under rules to deserve the prestigious tag. Attorney general G.E. Vahanvati told a Bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma about the decision after consulting HRD minister Kapil Sibal on a two-hour notice from the court.

After the SC turned the heat on deemed universities found woefully lacking in infrastructure, the government had appointed an expert body headed by P.N. Tandon which evaluated them and put 44 in the category to be stripped of their deemed status while giving 44 others three years to match the infrastructure required for keeping intact their status as deemed universities.

However, the Bench on Tuesday insisted on giving the 44 universities another chance to explain the steps they had taken to improve facilities for higher education. Only 38 deemed universities had passed muster during scrutiny by the Tandon committee.

Hearing a PIL filed by advocate Viplav Sharma, the Bench felt there was scope of elevating some universities from the worst category to a rather better category to save them the ignominy of derecognition. Perhaps on a re-evaluation, some of the universities can be elevated to Category Two (with minor deficiencies), the Bench said.

Some universities have enjoyed deemed status for more than 20-25 years. Just because they have added two courses, they are being de-recognised. Either you give them time to upgrade their infrastructure or permit them to continue by cancelling these courses, but in the garb of these two-three courses, denuding them of their deemed status will not be fair.

The AG, after consulting the HRD minister, informed the court that the Bench’s proposal for giving one more chance to the worst category universities was acceptable to the government. The court gave the Centre two weeks to issue notices to the 44 worst category universities and another two weeks for them to respond to it.

However, the Bench clarified, “These institutions will be entitled not only to give reply but make a representation on status of deficiencies. Thereafter, each university will be separately heard. Any university still in the worst category will be heard before any action is initiated by the Centre.” The case will be heard on May 3.

Source: The Times of India, January 12, 2011