World-class university plan to be reworked
The
Union government has formed an inter-ministerial group to rework a cabinet
proposal that aimed to establish 20 world-class universities in India.
Consequently,
the proposal of the human resource development (HRD) ministry, submitted last
month to the cabinet after months of deliberations, is being deferred, said two
government officials on condition of anonymity.
The
inter-ministerial group comprises HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, textiles
minister Smriti Irani, power minister Piyush Goyal and commerce minister
Nirmala Sitharaman, the officials said.
“The
four ministers will now decide the fate of the world-class university plan,”
one of the two officials said.
The
inter-ministerial group held its first meeting last week and another one is
scheduled later this month, the second official added.
In
February 2016, the centre announced a plan to establish 20 world-class
universities in India—10 each in the private and public space. While a select
group of existing public institutions will be upgraded to world-class status,
both existing and upcoming private institutions can bid for the tag which has
been changed from “world-class university” to “institute of eminence”.
Such
universities, the government feels, will help Indian higher education
institutions scale the global league table at a time when very few find a place
among the top 200 best universities in the world. According to the latest QS
World University Rankings 2018, only three Indian schools are in the top 200.
The
world-class university plan aims to provide academic and financial autonomy and
end the influence of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Such public
institutions will get financial support of Rs10, 000 crore from the HRD
ministry.
The
rethink on the proposal was prompted because of four reasons, the officials
said. The first was the issue of reservations, especially for foreign students.
If public institutions reserve 50% of the seats (27% for other backward
classes, 15% for scheduled castes, 7% for scheduled tribes and 3% for physically
handicapped candidates) as per the Constitution and then reserve 30% of the
seats for foreign students, general category student’s candidates could get
squeezed.
Second,
the choice-based credit system for such universities allows students to complete
a course in a shorter period than they can do now. If implemented, it could
mean that a student will be able to graduate with a master’s degree in a year,
an option not available at present.
Third,
some in the government contended that the decision to grant complete autonomy
from UGC should be a considered one as a situation could arise that could
warrant the intervention of a regulator.
Fourth,
the proposed financial support to the 10 public institutions may prove to be
insufficient to build an institution of the desired quality.
“The
problem with too many interventions and groups is that it may not yield quick
results, a case in point being labour reforms that are stuck for the last two
years,” the second official said.
An
HRD ministry spokesperson said he is not aware of the development.
Source | Mint | 20 June 2017
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