E-Paper
UGC steps up measures to grant autonomy to affiliated colleges
The NEP envisages autonomy for all colleges currently affiliated to a university and recommends that they should eventually become autonomous degree-granting colleges.
In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has started preparing comprehensive guidelines to provide autonomy to affiliated colleges, officials familiar with the development said on Thursday.
The NEP envisages autonomy for all colleges currently affiliated to a university and recommends that they should eventually become autonomous degree-granting colleges.
UGC chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said that the commission is preparing “autonomous colleges regulations” that will enable the affiliated colleges to attain autonomy.
“We want to encourage as many colleges to become autonomous. We will keep the guidelines in tune with the NEP 2020 philosophy. The commission will come up with a flexible procedure for colleges to apply for autonomy. Once these regulations come, many colleges can be declared as autonomous,” he said.
Kumar said the commission will also be considering legal aspects attached to the process. “We are discussing all the factors with the stakeholders to come up with a workable solution. Once finalised, the UGC will release the regulations in the public domain seeking responses from the stakeholders,” he said.
In 2018, two Delhi University (DU) colleges — St Stephen’s and Hindu College — had approached the ministry of education seeking autonomy. However, the matter could not be considered because it required amendments in the DU Act, 1922.
DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh said the upcoming guidelines will not affect the university since majority of the colleges are constituent colleges and not affiliated colleges.
“ I don’t think that the upcoming guidelines will make any changes in our university system; the majority of our colleges are constituent colleges and not affiliated. They are part and parcel of the university. DU has a few affiliated institutes and once the guidelines come, they can apply for autonomy,” he said.
While the affiliated colleges work independently, the constituent colleges are maintained by the universities.
The UGC “guidelines for transforming all higher education institutions in India into multidisciplinary institutions”, released on Thursday, also talks about giving autonomy to colleges. “By 2035, all affiliated colleges should become degree-awarding multidisciplinary autonomous institutions,” the guidelines stated.
