Centre to re-examine order to derecognise 44 deemed universities

New Delhi, Jan 11 (ANI): The Central Government on Tuesday assured the Supreme Court that it would examine afresh its earlier decision to derecognise 44 deemed universities for lacking appropriate academic infrastructure and faculty.

Attorney General G E Vahanvati gave an undertaking to the apex court bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma that the government would review the issue after conducting physical verification of various educational facilities available in the universities and hearing them afresh.

Attorney General Vahanvati told the apex court that the government will issue fresh individual notices to the universities it had decided to derecognise earlier, but had put a hold on its decision following an order from the apex court.

The universities were earlier given an opportunity to explain as to why they should not be derecognised.

"The government will hear all the universities after issuing them individual notices," said Attorney General Vahanvati.

The apex court bench later asked the government to issue notices to various universities within two weeks and give them two weeks thereafter for filing replies.

Earlier on August 3, 2010, the government told the apex court that it was well within its power under the rules of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to de-recognise the 44 deemed universities for allegedly failing to maintain mandatory quality education.

An expert committee earlier reviewed the functioning of 126 of the 130 deemed universities and found 44 among them unworthy for the status. (ANI)