Ranchi: Months after taking exception to the poor state of educational facilities, Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais today directed the State Higher and Technical Education Department (HTED) to conduct a detailed inquiry into activities of all private universities and process for de-recognition of all such institutions that don’t fulfill the laid down norms of the Universities Grants Commission (UGC).
The direction followed a meeting of senior officers of the HTED at Raj Bhawan. Additional Chief Secretary, HTED, KK Khandelwar and Principal Secretary to Governor Nitin Madan Kulkari were among the officers, who attended the meeting.
Citing his meeting with vice chancellors of private universities, Bais said that they were reminded to bring about qualitative change in infrastructure and teaching faculties during their meeting in December last year. “The universities were directed to improve the facilities soon. But it seems that many institutions are reluctant to comply with the orders,” said a senior officer of the Raj Bhawan.
All UGC criteria must be adhered to
The Governor categorically told the officers to ensure that all the private universities must fulfil all the criteria before granting them the recognition. “All institutions asking for the recognition must jave adequate land, building and infrastructure is available with them,” Bais asked the officers. They were also told to frame a model act to amend the previous rules, by which the private universities were given liberty to raise necessary infrastructure within three years of operation. He said that it is necessary for the private universities to comply with all the UGC norms to run in the interest of the students.
Frame statute of Jharkhand Tech varsity
The officials were also directed officials to frame and legislate the statute of Jharkhand Technical University at the earliest. The Governor expressed his displeasure over the delay in enactment of the statute. During the review of the department on May 23, the officers had told the Governor that draft statute of the Jharkhand Technical University is pending for approval by the Personnel Department. Bais also asked the government to ensure immediate transfer of possession of the administrative building to the Nilamber-Pitamber University.
Amend statute of Jharkhand Open University
The Governor also asked the officers to study the statute of Jharkhand Open University, which was constituted for the year 2010-18, and update the same as per the requirements. It was brought to the notice of the Raj Bhawan that the statute for the Open University was approved and brought into effect in 2018 after the Finance Department gave its concurrence to the same.
Give space to Jharkhand Open University
Expressing his displeasure over absence of space to work for the Jharkhand Open University, Bais wondered as how its officials would discharge their duty if they did not have any workplace. He asked the officials of HTED to provide space for the Open University in the campus of Jharkhand Technical University, which is currently not in use. “Identify a suitable place and hand it over to the Open University for office after repairing the building in the next three-four months,” the Governor said.
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Pvt Universities were reprimanded
The Governor in a meeting with the vice chancellors of private universities in December last year had directed them to raise the necessary infrastructure and appoint the required number of teaching staff to impart quality teaching to the students as per the norms set by the UGC. “It is a matter of surprise and sorrow that the private universities established in our state are not fulfilling the criteria set by the UGC and the government,” he had said in the meeting.
