UGC set to conduct workshop for 20 colleges to clear doubts on autonomy

In the name of autonomy, financial selfsufficiency is going to force the colleges to open the courses in selffinancing mode and charge higher fees.

RAJESH JHA, member, DU’S executive council

NEWDELHI: The University Grants Commission is convening a meeting of some Delhi University colleges to answer their doubts about certain provisions of the DU Act which seem to limit autonomy only to colleges offering programmes in certain disciplines.

“As far as the Delhi University Act Clause 9-A is concerned, autonomy is restricted to these colleges which offer programmes in a few specific disciplines only. We will resolve this doubt through suitable clarification so as to enable the colleges under its umbrella to attain autonomy,” UGC said to the university in a communication.

A total of 20 DU colleges, including Hindu College, Shri Ram College of Commerce, and Miranda House have been invited by the UGC for an orientation workshop on Friday to “clarify doubts over autonomy and its related regulations”.

The DU vice-chancellor, Yogesh Tyagi, did not respond to calls and text message seeking his response.

“We have received a communication from the UGC to attend the workshop to get more information on autonomy,” said Simrit Kaur, principal SRCC.

The move comes amid opposition from a section of teachers and students, who have alleged that autonomy will pave way for “privatisation and contractualisation”.

“In the name of autonomy, financial self-sufficiency is going to force the colleges to open the courses in self-financing mode and charge higher fees from students,” said Rajesh Jha, a member of DU’S executive council.

The government has maintained autonomy has no relation with mobilisation of resources.

According to the UGC Guidelines for Autonomous Colleges - 2017, a college that comes under the scheme started last year can determine and prescribe its own courses, restructure and redesign its syllabus, and become skill-oriented in consonance with job requirements.

Such an “autonomous college” is also empowered to prescribe admission rules in accordance with prevalent reservation policies, evolve methods to assess students’ performance; conduct examinations; among other actions.

Autonomy for a college also empowers it to announce results, issue mark sheets, migration and other certificates.

UGC said that, in view of the fact that autonomy provides higher education institutions more flexibility in delivering quality education, DU may consider taking appropriate actions on priority in the matter at their end.