TIRUPATI: Here is good news for the student community of Rayalaseema region as the Central Government has issued orders according Category-1 status to Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (RSVP). Speaking to Express, SVU Vice-Chancellor A Damodaram and RSVP Registrar Ch P Satyanarayana expressed their happiness over the upgradation of the two higher educational institutions in the temple town.
According to Satyanarayana, the two institutions shall be automatically deemed to be under Section 12B of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and no inspections by the UGC shall be required for the same, and we may start new courses, academic programmes, departments and study centres in disciplines that form part of their existing academic framework without approval of the UGC, provided no demand for fund is made from the government for the purpose.
The degree programmes shall be consistent with the approved nomenclature of the UGC. Diploma and certificate courses approved by its statutory authorities or statutory regulatory authorities wherever required, may be started in new and innovative areas that are relevant to local, national or international needs, with information to the UGC.
The SVU Vice-Chancellor said, “Now, we can start skill courses in consistent with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) without the approval of the UGC. We can also set up research parks, incubation centres, university society linkage centres, in self-financing mode, either on our own or in partnership with private partners, without the mandatory approval of the UGC.
However, in all such arrangements, the ownership of all immovable property and that component of movable property procured through the resources of the institution shall remain with the universities. The higher educational institutions can hire foreign faculty of universities in top 500 of the world renowned ranking frameworks, such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings or the QS Rankings, up to 20 per cent over and above of their total sanctioned faculty strength without approval of the UGC, but subject to the Rules and Regulations of Government of India.
The two universities will also have the freedom to hire foreign faculty on tenure or contract basis as per the terms and conditions approved by the statutory bodies. They are also free to admit foreign students on merit basis, subject to a maximum of 20 per cent of the course intake.
While following the UGC pay scales, the institutions can develop an incentive structure to attract talented faculty with the condition that the incentive structure shall have to be paid from their own revenue sources.
Going global
Visakhapatnam: Andhra University (AU) has been granted graded autonomy by the UGC. It will help the university start new courses, plan their academic syllabi and collaborate with foreign institutions. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has announced that the UGC granted autonomy to 62 higher educational institutions in the country.
These universities will have the freedom to start new courses, off-campus centres, skill development courses, research parks and new academic programmes. They will also have the freedom to hire foreign faculty, enrol foreign students, give incentives-based salary to faculties, enter into academic collaborations and run open distance learning programmes. Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM) in Vizag was also granted autonomy.