THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state higher education council has expressed concern over the recent order of the University Grants Commission (UGC) on granting autonomy to colleges. The council noted the UGC regulation goes against law by various state governments on granting autonomy to colleges. Since education is a subject in the concurrent list, such actions on the part of the UGC, without consulting state governments, go against the federal principles enshrined in the Constitution, the council noted.
According to the UGC’s new directive, colleges will be given administrative autonomy and can decide fees for various courses. The control of universities over such colleges would be very limited, the higher education council noted.
The UGC regulation also stipulates that visit by an expert team of the UGC would not be applicable to colleges which have obtained a score of 3.5 or above from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
The autonomous colleges are empowered to offer courses from undergraduate level to PG and research. These colleges can start degree, diploma and certificate courses without the approval of the university. The higher education council’s executive body which met here decided to appraise the Education Minister of the situation. The Council’s executive also decided to conduct a two-day national seminar on ‘Policy making in Higher Education and Federal Principles’.