Norms relaxed for establishing deemed varsities, claims AUT

Claiming that the norms for establishing Deemed Universities have been relaxed, the Association of University Teachers has sought extension of time for providing suggestions on the new UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2022.

The University Grants Commission had released the amended regulations on Nov. 4 giving two weeks’ time for the stakeholders to provide their comments and suggestions. The deadline ends on Nov. 18.

AUT State president P. Tirunavukkarasu said in 2016 and 2019 when the UGC issued circulars permitting higher educational institutions to be converted into deemed universities, it had imposed stringent rules thus reducing chances of commercialisation of higher education.

“The recent notification from the UGC has eased the norms paving way for any higher educational institution to convert itself into a deemed university. This would only lead to commercialisation of higher education and jeopardise teachers’ job security besides resulting in a hike in fee structures,” he said.

According to him, “The aim of the notification is to privatise higher educational institutions with the government remaining merely a spectator. It is totally undemocratic of the UGC to issue a notification about such an important decision and provide an e-mail id with a time limit of just two weeks for stakeholders to submit their views. We want four more weeks to go through the regulations in detail and provide feedback,” he said.