Deemed Universities can have Off-shore Campuses

A proposal made by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to allow the private deemed universities to have off-shore campuses has been accepted by the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry.

Earlier according to the reports the UGC had issued notices to ten deemed universities for having off-shore campuses without clearance. This list of universities included the prestigious ones such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. But recently the UGC has made amendments to its regulation and allowed the deemed universities to have six off-shore campuses.

However the decision would not be applicable on the government-established and managed institutions. The institutions like the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan that has several off-centre campuses are going to benefit from the move. Earlier the UGC had issued notices related to the issue of off-centre campuses to some of the well reputed institutes such as Birla Institute of Technology& Sciences (BITS), Pilani, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, Banasthali University (Rajasthan), Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

In another move a proposal by the UGC pertaining to the criteria for selection of the vice chancellor has been accepted by the ministry. Now it is required for a candidate who is interested in becoming the vice chancellor to have a minimum of ten years of experience as a professor in a university or ten years of equivalent experience in a reputed research or academic organization. The details for the composition of search and selection committees have also been finalised.

It is mandatory for the VC to be a whole time salaried officer of the institution appointed by the visitor or chancellor from a panel of three names suggested by a search cum selection committee