The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Panel to regulate private universities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 07, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Panel to regulate private universities

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN. 6. The State Government on Thursday constituted a high power committee under the chairmanship of K.C. Reddy, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education, to formulate guidelines for regulation of private universities and deemed universities that are likely to spring up with GATT guidelines coming into effect from January 1.

The other members of the committee include: A. Gnanam, former Chairman, NAAC; D. Swaminadham, Vice-Chairman, State Planning Board; A. Gopala Rao, former Judge of High Court; C. Subba Rao, former chairman, APSCHE; G.D. Sharma, former Secretary, UGC and A. Prasanna Kumar, former Rector, Andhra University.

First meeting

Prof. Reddy told The Hindu that the first meeting would be held after Sankranthi and the report be submitted within three months. The committee would discuss issues related to establishment of State universities, private universities and those deemed to be universities. It would suggest guidelines, evolve procedures and appropriate regulatory mechanism in respect of these institutions and also foreign universities.

Once World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime comes into place, education becomes a trading service and no Government can stop foreign universities from setting up their institutions in other countries. "The Governments can only regulate their functioning and this is an effort in that direction. We have to be ready with some guidelines before the institutions come," said Prof. Reddy.

Moreover, the Government was also receiving representations from several institutions for setting up universities in the private sector. Some states like Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh had already passed a Private Universities Act allowing private parties to set up universities. Institutions like ICFAI, which has a university status in Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Tripura, had also been demanding the same here.

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