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| Friday, July 11, 2008
Deemed varsities resent greater role for State
They say it could simply lead to “unnecessary interference
and decline in quality of education”
- “Already, UGC and AICTE are at loggerheads”
- These universities are against attempts to
control admission procedures and fee structure
Chennai: Deemed universities feel that the State government’s
attempts at increasing its role in their functioning could simply
lead to “unnecessary interference and a decline in the
quality of education.”
Earlier this week, the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education
discussed the recommendations of the M. Anandakrishnan Committee
on deemed universities and forwarded them to the Higher Education
Minister for a final decision.
“This is a retrogressive step…I don’t see
why the [State] government is taking on added responsibility
when it is not doing a great job of running its own institutions,”
says Anne Mary Fernandez, registrar of Karunya University, responding
to the proposal to put two government nominees on the management
committees of deemed universities.
Increasing regulation does not lead to increased quality, she
says. “Already, the UGC and the AICTE are at loggerheads.
What will happen if one more body comes into the picture,”
she asks.
SRM University chancellor T.R. Pachamuthu says the State government
cannot take any unilateral step.
“All-India issue”
“This is an all-India level issue. There
is no use if an individual State comes up with such guidelines,
unless it is the opinion of all State governments,” he
says.
The priorities of Central and State governments seem to be different.
“On the one hand, the National Knowledge Commission says
1,500 universities are to be set up and on the other, the State
government wants to curb new universities …,” he
says.
Deemed universities also resent the attempts to control their
admission procedures and fee structure.
“If they
insist on reservation, the angle of excellence will be curbed.
When we can’t control intake, output quality cannot be
ensured,” warns Dr. Fernandez. While Mr. Pachamuthu does
not mind implementing reservation, he says if an independent
fee structure is not permitted, quality will be hit.
“Only if we invest in infrastructure and teachers’
salaries, can we ensure good education.”
TANSCHE vice-chairman A. Ramasamy, referring to the Anandakrishnan
committee report, saying such guidelines were essential.
“There have been cases of campus violence and judicial
litigation, exorbitant fees, lack of basic infrastructure…In
some deemed universities, teachers’ salaries have not
been paid for six months,” he says.
The list of recommendations is long. It includes mandatory 10-year
experience before institutions can become deemed universities,
a mandatory corpus of Rs. 10 crore, an all-India entrance test
to be conducted in consultation with the UGC, fee structure
to be fixed in consultation with the State government, compliance
with the State’s policy and two government nominees on
management committees.
The post of chancellor should also be converted to chairman
and other senior management posts should not be given to family
members of the founder, but to academics and qualified persons,
says Dr. Ramasamy.
Deemed universities feel such regulations are unnecessary.
“These people are investing huge sums of money. Some
of them are academics, some are not. What does it matter?”
says Dr. Fernandez. “When you give birth to a child, you
know the pain and you will take special care. Others may be
able to follow regulations, but you will be interested in quality,”
says Mr. Pachamuthu.
Courtesy: The Hindu
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