Errant deemed varsities must be proceeded against: Panel

A government panel reviewing functioning of deemed universities has found some institutions running distance mode courses without approval and has recommended discontinuation of such programmes and initiation of legal action against them.

A government panel reviewing functioning of deemed universities has found some institutions running distance mode courses without approval and has recommended discontinuation of such programmes and initiation of legal action against them.

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The committee, which was asked by the HRD Ministry to suggest action plan for implementation of its recommendations on the deemed universities, has suggested that those institutions, which were running courses without approval of the appropriate bodies, be proceeded against.

According to norms, an institute needs to take prior approval of Distance Education Council, All India Council of Technical Education and University Grants Commission for offering courses in distant mode.

Distance education programmes are run by many deemed universities, enrolling thousands of students. Many of the distance education programmes do not have approval of these regulatory bodies.

"If the courses are run without the approval of appropriate Regulatory Authorities, the concerned deemed university should be proceeded against under the relevant laws for misleading students and harming their interests," the task force, headed by P N Tandon, said.

"All those courses in the distance mode which do not comply with the requirements of the tripartite agreement between UGC, AICTE and DEC must be discontinued forthwith," the task force said.