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Latest News |
| 26th
January 2010 / Times of India / Mumbai Edition |
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 Don’t scrap 44 deemed univs for now, SC tells govt
New Delhi: In a major relief for 44 deemed universities facing derecognition in the light of the HRD ministry’s Tandon committee report, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered that no immediate step be taken by the Centre to scrap the blacklisted varsities. “Maintain status quo on the matter,’’ the court said.
This order is expected to calm the anxieties of thousands of students studying in these deemed universities, many of whom had embarked on a violent agitation after being unsure of their future.
A bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Patnaik said, “Nothing
will happen to the institutions or the students studying there. Before taking a final decision, the SC will scrutinise both the reports—one by the University Grants Commission (UGC) review committee that did not find anything amiss in these institutions and the other by the Tandon panel set up by the HRD ministry that blacklisted them. This will give each of them a chance to present their side of view.’’
The court issued notices to all 44 deemed universities, asked the Centre to furnish details of the task force as well as the UGC panel reports and posted the matter for hearing on March 8.
WHAT’S A DEEMED UNIVERSITY?
The idea originated to free some institutes of excellence from the clutches of a public varsity and promote excellence and highend research. Over time, that definition got watered down. An institute that designs its own curriculum, defines its own fees and determines its own student intake capacity and gives out its own degrees is a deemed university. It is under the direct purview of the University Grants Commission.
Tandon panel’s authority questioned
New Delhi: The SC’s promise to consider the viewpoints of the government and the 44 deemed universities comes as a breather for varsities and students.
Attorney general G E Vahanvati said the government was not planning to strip institutions of their deemed status and would file an affidavit before the court detailing a proposed plan of action on the basis of the committee report. “No action will be taken without court approval,’’ he said.
Cornered by senior advocates on the ministry’s decision to accept the Tandon committee report, he said those deemed universities found unfit to retain the status should not admit students for the 2010-11 session.
The SC refused to pass any order as it met with strong resistance from blacklisted universities represented by the virtual who’s who among lawyers. When petitioner Viplav Sharma’s counsel Sanjay Hegde repeated the suggestion on restraining the 44 deemed universities from admitting students, advocates Fali S Nariman and Rajeev Dhawan questioned the Tandon panel’s authority as the UGC, as the statutory body, had cleared them.
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