Uttar Pradesh: Raj Bhawan study suggests steps to stem the rot in universities

A study conducted by Raj Bhawan has recommended setting up of university tribunals, specific educational qualification of vice-chancellors and use of technology to bring about reform in the examination system.

Governor Ram Naik on Monday submitted a report to chief minister Yogi Adityanath containing recommendations for amendments required in the UP State Universities Act, 1973.

“A copy of the recommendations of the committee has been sent to the CM for consideration. Many of these will necessitate amendment to the University Act,” Naik told media persons here.

The committee has proposed that tribunals should be constituted to handle service matters and all other cases of quasi-judicial nature.

Essential and desirable qualification and experience required for the post of vice-chancellor should be well-defined and the various University Acts should include a provision to that effect to ensure selection of high calibre, academic and suitable persons in a transparent manner, the study said.

Members of the committee, constituted by the governor, visited universities in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat as part of the study.

The committee comprised of bureaucrats including principal secretary to the governor and chancellor, Juthika Patankar, OSD to governor and chancellor, Rajvir Singh Rathore, and OSD (IT) Sudip Banerjee.

The committee proposed that the composition of the Search Committee, prescribed in the UP State Universities Act should be amended to include persons of acknowledged academic distinction and wide administrative experience.

The committee suggested that service conditions, nature of leave, disciplinary proceedings, permissions regarding foreign tours etc., of VCs should be defined clearly.

It said subjects and point of interface between government departments dealing with university education and universities should be precisely defined and kept to the minimum.

It was pointed out that service conditions of teaching and non-teaching staff under self-financed programmes should be made part of the Act and statutes.

The study suggested timely incorporation into university statutes of all such UGC guidelines that directly affect quality and qualification of teaching staff. “End-to-end ICT (Information Communication Technology) should be adopted in a phased manner for reforms in examinations and efficiency, transparency and reliability,” it said.

The UP government, department of higher education had appointed a committee under the legal advisor to the governor to make recommendations for necessary amendments to the UP State Universities Act.

The committee emphasised that the prevalent rot in the UP university system could be stemmed immediately by the implementation of administrative measures by providing administrative staff to universities in the form of registrars, finance officers and examination controllers for a specified tenure and in consultation with the VCs.