CHENNAI: Vice-Chancellor of Anna University, MK Surappa on Tuesday wrote a letter to the state government seeking its support to help the varsity in getting the Institution of Eminence (IoE) tag.
The move comes after University Grants Commission(UGC) announced that Anna University can be considered for the IoE tag only after the state governments issue an official communication allocating their share of the funds (which is up to 50 per cent). The UGC has recently recommended 20 institutions for grant of the IoE status.
“I have written to the higher education department seeking all kinds of support for the IoE tag. The department will have to issue letter of intent with clarity on quantum of funds to be allocated to the
university following which only we will be able to get the IoE tag,” said Surappa.
‘The official communication from the state higher education department is necessary for us in order to get the status. Hence, the state government should take up the issue on a priority basis,” said a senior administrative official of Anna Univeristy.
The IoE tag will immensely benefit educational institutions. According to reports, the IoEs are proposed to have greater autonomy compared to other higher education institutions. The objective behind
the tag was to give the selected IoEs wide-ranging autonomy by the government in administrative and financial matters so that they can emerge as world-class universities over a reasonable period of time.
Speaking to Express on the issue, the higher education secretary, Mangat Ram Sharma said the state government will take all measures to help Anna University get the IoE tag.
“We are yet to receive any official communication from the UGC or HRD ministry regarding Anna University issue on IoE. But whatever is required will be done to ensure that Anna University gets the IoE
tag," said Sharma