More power for varsities from new academic year

Beginning from the academic session 2006-07, Delhi University and all other universities, getting aid from the University Grants Commission (UGC), will be free to utilise funds the way they please.

They will also be allowed to introduce their own fee structure; run self-finance courses; and put in place accountability regulations for teachers. These changes are being introduced in a bid to grant more autonomy to higher education institutes.

The UGC has ‘in principle’ adopted the report of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry in this regard. The Kanti Biswas Committee report had suggested disbursement of block funds, rather than money for specific schemes, and it also allowed institutes to utilise money as per their priorities.

UGC Chairperson VN Rajshekharan Pillai informed that the expert group would soon finalise the guidelines for giving more autonomy to such institutes. Apart from freedom to utilise funds, UGC also wants to give functional autonomy to independent colleges with A++ and A+ accreditation.

It wants universities to think up ways of selecting research fellows and start self-finance courses before the onset of the new academic year. UGC will also examine other recommendations freedom to choose credit courses for easy mobility of students, switching to complete internal evaluation, and internal quality assurance for students and teachers.

SMART BOX

Agenda 2006-07
• More autonomy for
varsities getting funds from UGC
• Such universities will be free to utilise funds the way they please
• These varsities can also implement their own
fee structure, and run
self-finance courses