Create more colleges of excellence in UP: UGC chairman

Lucknow, Aug 1 (UNI) University Grants Commission(UGC) chairman Sukhdeo Thorat today asked the state universities of Uttar Pradesh to introduce special schemes and courses, besides utilising the grants to create more colleges of excellences in the 11th Plan period.

In an interaction with the Vice-Chancellors of 13 state universities and the state higher education minister Rakesh Dhar Tripathi here, Mr Thorat said UGC is committed to provide enough grants for the universities of the state in order to accelerate the higher education growth cycle to 16 per cent in the eleventh plan period.

The UGC chairman said except in three universities, the utilisation of UGC grants was good in all the state universities.

He, however, lamented that these universities should also introduce special courses like remedial coachings for the SC/ST and minorities.

''The VCs demand of permission to open more faculty would be considered generiously'', he said adding that UGC will also provide all assistance to the universities to strengthen e-governance and library.

When asked whether politics is interfering with the education system in the state, Mr Thorat said the state government has assured UGC that they would provide full autonomy to all the universites and would not interfere with the day to day affairs of the institutions.

Talking about the state of affairs in the colleges, he said out of the total 340 colleges in the state only 60 are not being given UGC grants and 15 out of those are government colleges. ''To enhance the higher education system in the state more colleges are required to ensure each and every one of receiving quality education,'' he stressed.

Demanding more budgetary allocation on higher education, the UGC chairman said target to achieve the status of a developed state, the growth rate of higher education should be more higher.

The UGC head also asked the state government to ensure the guidelines in the appointment of faculty members and even the vice-chancellors. He, however, refused to comment on the selection procedure of the VCs in the state.

Though maintaining that there was scarcity of good teachers in the colleges and universities, he said the colleges should also ensure strict educational guidelines for establishing each and every institution as a centre of excellence.

UNI