UGC plans to make it easier for IoEs to set up off-campus centres

While deemed universities have been provided the opportunity to set up off-campus and off-shore centres, the guidelines for IoEs were silent on these aspects

Higher education sector regulator University Grants Commission (UGC) is planning to amend the norms for the government’s ambitious Institutions of Eminence (IoE) programme to allow greater flexibility to the selected varsities to set up off-shore and off-campus centres.

The UGC has also allowed more flexibility to deemed varsities to enter into partnerships with industry bodies to provide practical training to students. (HT Archive)

According to a person aware of the development, while deemed universities have been provided the opportunity to set up off-campus and off-shore centres, the guidelines for IoEs were silent on these aspects.

“This was a bit ironic. While IoEs, as they are expected to be world class, were supposed to have more autonomy, the guidelines provided more flexibility to deemed universities. The issue was discussed and it has been decided that the norms would be amended to allow greater flexibility to IoEs,” said the person cited above.

The norms for deemed varsities allow them or those ranked from 1-50 in the “Universities” category of current NIRF ranking or those in category I, to establish three off-campuses in a period of five years, provided that not more than one campus is established in one academic year.

Other deemed varsities can set up two off-campus centres.

Similarly, top deemed varsities can also set up off-shore campuses with permission from the ministry of external affairs. However, the guidelines for IoEs were silent on these matters.

“The matter was discussed in a recent meeting of the commission. It was decided that chairman UGC D P Singh would finalise the amendments to the IoE norms,” said the person cited above.

In another significant development, the UGC has allowed more flexibility to deemed varsities to enter into partnerships with industry bodies to provide practical training to students.

In an amendment carried out in the regulations for these varsities, the UGC has held that a varsity may enter into an agreement for practical training of students of a skill oriented vocation course provided that course is approved by the commission or any other regulatory body.