Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar announced that the Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Hyderabad and Jadavpur University are some of the top institutions that have been granted greater autonomy to start new courses, plan their own syllabi and collaborate with foreign institutions.
Javadekar said 52 universities including 5 central universities, 21 state universities, 24 deemed universities and 2 private universities are among the 60 higher educational institutions that will benefit from the government’s initiative.
He asserted, “Although these universities will remain within the UGC’s ambit, they will have the freedom to launch new courses, off-campus centres, skill development courses, research parks and new academic programmes. They will also have the freedom to hire foreign faculty members, enrol foreign students, give incentive-based emoluments to faculty members, enter into academic collaborations and run open-distance learning programmes.”
The government is also taking steps against deemed-to-be universities that aren’t high on performance such as a show cause notice will be given to the Institute of Advance Studies in Education in Rajasthan, Vinayaka Missions Research Foundation in Salem (Tamil Nadu) and the Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research in Chennai as they are reportedly lacking in quality. The Supreme Court had earlier cancelled engineering degrees given by these institutes as well.
Officials said universities that have been granted autonomy will also be exempt from regular UGC inspections and will be able to obtain appraisals on the basis of self-reporting. They will also be allowed to hire global talent for up to 20% of their total faculty strength and fill up 20% of their seats with international students.
