CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved orders on petitions relating to the regulatory jurisdiction of the AICTE and the UGC over deemed universities. It also directed the AICTE to issue a public notice, advising students to attend classes.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.P.Shah and Justice Prabha Sridevan gave the interim direction on Tuesday, at the end of arguments by counsel for the deemed universities, the All India Medical and Engineering Colleges Association, the AICTE, UGC and the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development.

The AICTE, in its press notice, should mention that students must return to their colleges because failure to attend classes would result in them losing an academic year. It must be published in English and Indian language newspapers, the Bench stipulated.

Orders in May

Indicating that the orders would be pronounced in the third week of May, the judges also observed that all deemed universities must take prior permission from the UGC for starting new courses. The AICTE too could be a part of the inspection team mandated to visit deemed universities. Given the fact that the UGC had not held campus inspection of deemed universities, the judges said the agency needed to be more active.

Meanwhile, the UGC, in its counter-affidavit, contended that the Commission as well as the Ministry had taken a serious view of deemed universities starting new courses or increasing the intake without its approval.

"It is the fault of deemed universities to have admitted students in academic programmes without the prior approval of the UGC. It is equally the fault of the institutions to have increased the intake of students in some programmes without prior approval. It is contrary to UGC's letter dated March 16, 2004, wherein all deemed universities have been specifically instructed to obtain prior approval of the UGC for starting any new course or for starting academic centres or study centres or off campus or offshore campus."

In her submissions, R.Vaigai, counsel for the Students Federation of India, wanted the court to direct deemed universities to give details on the qualifications of the faculty and the status of courses on their websites. At the beginning of every year, websites, brochures and prospectus of these institutions must show the status of individual courses as well as faculty details, she said. The UGC and the AICTE must protect the interests of students by taking periodical and time-bound inspections.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail