Mah-Legislative Council passes Self-financed University Bill

Mumbai, Apr 20 (UNI) Maharashtra Legislative Council today passed the Maharashtra Self-financed Universities Bill (establishment and regulation) even as members from both the sides expressed apprehensions over the issue of reservation in such universities.

''Reservation should be ensured in such universities and a check should be kept on where the finances of such institutions were originating from,'' Prof Jogendra Kawade (PRP) and Dr Neelam Gorhe (Sena) said while participating in the discussion.

Education Minister Dilip Valse Patil admitted that there were some shortcomings in the Bill but assured that government would remove the lacunae.

''We have studied the pattern followed by all the state universities as far as reservations is concerned and the best model will be adopted by these private institutions and that it will take nearly 15 months after passing the Bill for universities to come up'', he added.

According to the Bill, any sponsoring body desirous of establishing a self-financed University under this act should submit a letter of intent detailing the capital required, the land as well as its method of functioning.

The proposal would then be scrutinised by the education department and then would be referred to the Cabinet.

Under the act, the sponsoring body shall establish an endowment fund of upto five crores to be used as a security deposit to ensure that the university complies with the provisions and it is also mandatory for every university to get accredatation from national assesment and accredatation council (NAAC) or national board of accredatation within five years of its establishment.

While Maharashtra Governor would be the chancellor of the University, the sponsoring body would appoint a vice-chancellor and a registrar.

Mr Patil, however, dismised the suggestion that a monitoring body should be set up to keep an eye on the functioning of such institutions.

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