Autonomous colleges get more freedom in new law

 Autonomous colleges get more freedom in new law

Autonomous colleges in the state will have more independence with the government issuing fresh regulations for their functioning. A statute issued by the state government on Friday allows autonomous colleges to start their own Ph D centres, change nomenclature of courses and also decide fees for non-professional courses.

Seeking autonomy has also been simplified with state universities directed to issue autonomy status within a month of a nod from the University Grants Commission (UGC). The statute states that colleges will continue to get the same funding from the government as they did before autonomy. The last such regulation for autonomy colleges was based on Maharashtra Universities Act,1994.

The state adopted the regulations laid down by UGC in February 2018. While aspiring autonomous colleges had to fulfil many conditions for the status as per older rules, the new regulation allows autonomy to all colleges with a NAAC grade of ‘A’. “Our state has many colleges with an A grade, but the number of autonomous colleges is small. The state wants to give more independence to autonomous colleges. So, we have simplified the process. The law also clarifies that colleges need not worry about funding from the state. It will continue as it is. The number of approved posts will also be the same. Many norms have been relaxed to reduce the daunting process,” said a member of the statute committee.

Meeta Rajiv Lochan, state project director for Rashtriya Uchhatar Shikshan Abhiyan, said norms are changing after over two decades. “Though UGC introduced norms a year ago, it just gives a broad framework. For state universities and colleges, this is the new law. The new law gives a lot of independence to autonomous colleges...,” said Lochan.

An state official said with new guidelines, the university can’t delay the sanction process for long. “If the university management council does not give approval in 30 days after the UGC sanction, colleges can presume their autonomy status,” he said.

Source | Times of India | 19th January 2019

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