Deemed varsities lack facilities, faculty: UGC Committee

Updated on: Saturday, October 10, 2009

New Delhi: The UGC committees, reviewing the functioning of 130 deemed universities across the country, have found several deficiencies

The University Grants Commission (UGC) today approved the reports of the committees on about ten deemed universities and forwarded the reports to the government for action. The UGC has so far approved the reports on 47 deemed universities.

'Today the reports of about 10 deemed universities were placed before the Commission. The commission considered the reports and recommended the government for appropriate action,' a senior UGC official said.

While many of the deemed universities have adequate facilities, a few others have been found lacking in infrastructure and faculty, he said.

The government has started review of functioning of such institutions amid allegations that many non-deserving institutes have been conferred deemed-to-be-university status in the last five years. There are also reports of many of these institutes indulging in malpractices.

The Centre has asked UGC to carry out a complete review of functioning of these deemed universities, besides setting up a committee of its own.

The UGC has set up a number of committees to complete the review by end of this month. The government is critical about functioning of the deemed universities and their growth. Of the total 130 such institutions, over 60 were given the status of deemed universities in the last five years.

The HRD Ministry's own committee is expected to submit its report this month. The committee is expected to recommend severe action against some of the deemed universities if they are found to be lacking in facilities. Some of the deemed universities could be reverted to their original status of colleges, sources said.

The status of deemed universities is conferred by the government on the recommendation of UGC under Section three of the UGC Act. However, there are allegations that the provision has been misused in the last few years.

Deemed varsities lack facilities, faculty: UGC Committee

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