Page 159 - DCOM102_DMGT101_PRINCIPLES_AND_PRACTICES_OF_MANAGEMENT

Unit 9: Delegation, Authority and Power

Notes

Case Study Deemed University Concept needs Right Direction

he ongoing issue with regard to certain deemed universities must not hijack a
sound concept envisaged by Dr S. Radhakrishnan. Based on the Dr Radhakrishnan
TCommittee's report, provisions were made in the University Grants Commission
Act, 1956 for declaring higher institutions of learning with quality as Deemed to be
University.

Since 2005, the Government of India has notified 108 institutions as Deemed Universities,
and in Tamil Nadu alone the number of private deemed universities has increased from 18
in 2005 to 35 in 2008 and many are in the queue. Despite the Supreme Court issuing a
notice in 2006 on a PIL opposing the manner in which the Central Government granted
Deemed University status, between May 2006 and March 2009 over 50 institutions have
been granted Deemed University status. The increase in the number of Deemed Universities
should not, however, be at the cost of quality.

UGC vs. AICTE
The strength and weakness of a system does not totally lie in the guidelines or rules and
regulations but in their meticulous implementation. The UGC Act was enacted to maintain
the norms and standards in universities and Section 3 of the Act empowers the University
Grants Commission (UGC) to recommend to the Government institutions to be declared
as Deemed Universities.
At the same time, statutory councils have come into existence by way of Central legislation.
These councils have to be respected at least to the extent the Act demands.
As per present guidelines, an applicant institution will be inspected by a committee
constituted by the UGC with a representative from the respective statutory council.
However, Section 10(t) of the All India Council for Technical Education Act (AICTE) confers
power on the AICTE to "advise the Commission for declaring any institutions imparting
technical education as Deemed Universities".
The AICTE also prescribed detailed guidelines in regard to conferment of Deemed
University status as early as 1996 and subsequently revised them during 1999-2000. The
AICTE Act does not provide for any delegation of authority and going by it, in respect of
technical institutions, it is only the AICTE that should recommend to the UGC for
consideration of Deemed University status.

The UGC guidelines for award of Deemed University status must be as good as, if not
better than, that of the statutory council. The AICTE laid down norms and standards for
establishment of educational institutions back in 1995 and this author was a member of
the Committee.
Support Facilities
For a University, to properly function with all academic and support facilities, a minimum
of 50 acres of land is required and this requirement is location independent. With respect
to building area, for an intake of 360 students per annum, the AICTE prescribes 11,236 sq.
mts. as the required academic area; in comparison, the UGC prescribes 10,000 sq.mts.
without mentioning the student strength.

Contd...

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