A Crisis of Safety
The recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have sent shockwaves across the nation.
Regulations for grant of autonomy to colleges have been issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The guidelines are referred to as University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2018.
A college seeking autonomy shall submit the proposal to the parent university which may forward it to UGC within 30 days. If the proposal is rejected by the university, the decision shall be communicated to the college and UGC through a “Speaking Order”, the regulation states.
These regulations shall apply to all colleges and institutions which are affiliated to, or are constituent colleges of universities in the country seeking conferment of autonomous college status.
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After getting autonomy the colleges will be able to review the existing courses or programmes and restructure, redesign and prescribe their own courses or programmes of study and syllabi. They will also be able to formulate new courses and programmes within the nomenclature specified by UGC and also evolve methods of assessment of students’ performance.
The regulations have provision for constitution of a governing body, academic council, board of studies and finance committee in the autonomous college. The governing body will have a nominee of UGC and a nominee from the state government.
The gazette notification issued on the regulations says that the autonomy granted to a college will be at the institutional level and shall cover programmes at all levels such as undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.Ds offered by the college. The autonomous colleges will continue to get funds from the state government like other government and aided colleges.
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