No deemed univ student will suffer
Times of India
Amid reports of violent protests in some places and widespread anxiety over the government’s move to derecognize 44 deemed universities, HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday sought to allay fears by promising no student would be left in the lurch. The ministry’s task force has clearly delineated the roadmap for students in these institutions, ensuring that no one suffers, he said. Meanwhile, students broke window panes, ransacked laboratories and burned furniture in a couple of blacklisted universities in Tamil Nadu, where a majority of the derecognized universities are situated. Sibal’s assurance notwithstanding, many questions linger. For instance, the HRD ministry’s affidavit in the Supreme Court clearly states that even if the institutions concerned lose deemed university status, they remain colleges and will be affiliated to state universities. In case of medical/dental colleges, they will seek affiliation from state medical universities. Asked what if state governments refused to give affiliation, sources said the ministry would seek a relevant directive from the Supreme Court. ‘‘There are other methods also,’’ a source said. Another question is what will happen to institutions that got deemed status by virtue of starting courses in new fields like nanotech. It seems students who enrolled for these niche disciplines can at best hope to pass out as regular graduates. The HRD ministry is confident it has a foolproof case in the apex court. Highly placed sources said the 44 deemed universities should not hope that a clean chit by UGC’s review committee (separate from the HRD ministry’s panel) can help them challenge the recommendation seeking removal of ‘deemed’ status.
Sources said under the UGC Act, the HRD ministry may or may not accept UGC’s recommendations.
‘‘Anyway, UGC had reviewed only a few parameters of these institutions whereas the HRD sministry’s review committee looked into the complete picture. It cannot be challenged,’’ a highly placed source said.
The degrees of those enrolled with ‘‘deemed universities’’ now staring at de-recognition will be of the institutions they may get attached to in future. ‘‘Students will eventually get the degree from the new university,’’ a source maintained. Those who have already passed out from the ‘‘universities’’ in question need not worry.
‘‘They will not be affected because the deemed status was not taken away then,’’ sources said. But the ministry is keen that the institutions are not able to give back-dated certificates. Sources said the ministry had anticipated such a possibility and, therefore, the review committee’s questionnaire had asked each institute to furnish details of past and present students. ‘‘Back-dated degrees cannot be given now,’’ a source said. Meanwhile, HRD ministry is waiting for the next hearing in Supreme Court on January 25 before it starts issuing notices to these 44 deemed universities. Also see:
