Trust-run colleges vie for autonomy too

The opening statement of the University Grants Commission (UGC) document on autonomy reads: “The only safe and better way to improve the quality of undergraduate education is to the link most of the colleges from the affiliating structure. Colleges with academic and operative freedom are doing better and have more credibility.”

Abiding by this, many Delhi University colleges, especially trust-run institutions, are vying for the autonomous status.

A member of a renowned DU college, who did not wish to be named as talks with members of the college is at a nascent stage, said, “If we want to start any new courses or change something, we have to go to DU and that takes a lot of time. This system of affiliating colleges to a university was started when they were lesser colleges, but now there are just 63 colleges under DU, so administration is a problem.”

Once the college is given the autonomous status, they will be free to prescribe their own courses of study and syllabi, and restructure and redesign the courses to suit local needs. They can also set their own rules for admission in consonance with the reservation policy of the state government.

According to a source, the chairman of another trust-run DU college is also known to have approached the Prime Minister’s Office seeking autonomy.

Delhi University has formed a committee to initiate the process of granting autonomy to colleges and also invited colleges like Shri Ram College of Commerce, Hansraj College, Sri Venkateswara College and a few others.

“The decision is with the governing body of the college,” said Rama Sharma, officiating principal of Hansraj College.

The autonomy system is in place in Mumbai too. In 2011, St Xavier’s College in Mumbai had become autonomous. Since then, 10 colleges had followed suit.