BHUBANESWAR: None of the autonomous colleges in the state have valid autonomous status. Some of them are funtioning without valid autonomy for over a decade but continue to conduct examinations and issue certificates, in violation of the UGC (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023. Despite this, they are yet to apply to the UGC for renewal of autonomy.
There are 29 autonomous colleges in the state including both government and non-government institutions. The colleges are affiliated to Berhampur, Fakir Mohan, North Odisha, Sambalpur, Utkal and Rama Devi Women’s universities. Autonomous status of three government and as many non-government colleges expired in the 2022-23 academic session while the status of the remaining institutions expired between 2011-12 and 2021-22 sessions.
In the last decade, as per a report of UGC, four colleges under Berhampur University, one each under Fakir Mohan and Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University (MSCB University), six under Sambalpur University, and the highest 14 under Utkal university have lost their autonomous status and have not renewed it yet. Among the popular colleges in the list are SB Women’s College, BJB College, government colleges of Angul, Rourkela, Dhenkanal, Kendrapara college, SVM college at Jagatsinghpur and Nayagarh College.
The UGC grants autonomous status to a higher educational institution for a period of five years. The commission states that an autonomous college is required to abide by all the provisions of the UGC Regulations for Autonomous Colleges and non-compliance of the conditions prescribed shall attract action as per Clause-13 of the UGC Regulations, 2023. The college should apply to the UGC for extension of autonomous status at least three months before the completion of the autonomy period. However, that has not been the case with any of the autonomous colleges in the State for various factors. While some colleges have been lethargic in re-applying for autonomy, many others do not have a valid NAAC grade which is now necessary for getting autonomy, said Higher education department officials.
Expiry of autonomous status deprives colleges of designing their own syllabus, restructuring and introducing courses, preparing their own admission rules and conducting their own exams. Most importantly, as an institution without a valid autonomy cannot conduct examinations, it is not eligible to provide certificates. “The certificates issued during the period when the autonomous status has expired, are considered invalid,” an official added.
As per the revised autonomy norms of the UGC, the autonomous status of colleges that currently have NAAC ‘A’ grades will be automatically renewed for a period of 10 years. Colleges not having ‘A’ grade will have to score to get autonomous status back. Department officials informed that a few of the colleges have started work on renewing their autonomy status.