HRD Ministry breather to deemed universities

New Delhi, Apr 17: HRD Ministry has rejected a UGC report giving clean chit to 34 of 41 deemed universities which were blacklisted by a committee set up in 2009, in a breather to the varsities.

The ministry has stated that the report was submitted by UGC without taking cognisance to any criteria and until the statutory rules are framed, no review of the deemed-to-be universities should be carried out.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the ministry said that the relevant provisions under the UGC Act, Guidelines and Regulations have not been taken into cognisance for inspection and formulation of the reports.

"It it is technically and legally untenable for the Ministry to take an informed decision on the basis of such flimsy reports," the report said.

The Tandon Committee set up in 2009 had blacklisted 44 deemed universities for failing to meet set of standards and parameters for being fit to enjoy the deemed university status.

The aggrieved varsities had moved the Supreme Court for relief. UGC had subsequently set up a committee to examine the varsities, and 34 of them were given the clean chit.

The ministry said it is in favour of framing statutory rules for criteria for the inspection of universities seeking deemed-to-be status and would need three months of time to do so.

The Supreme Court had earlier also rapped UGC for going into "slumber" over conducting physical verification of infrastructure and faculty strength of deemed universities.

It had ruled out the suggestion of verification through photographs and videography, saying it was not an acceptable mode of determining the credentials.

PTI