MANGALORE: The State Government has reportedly permitted some government degree colleges to start new courses and in some cases new government colleges as well without the approval of universities concerned. By doing so, the Government has violated the Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000, and undermined the importance of universities, according to official sources.

The Syndicate of Mangalore University has taken serious objection to the action of the Government. The Syndicate, the highest decision-making body of the university, has asked the Mangalore University authorities to withhold admissions made to all such new courses, sources told The Hindu. They said that the Government had permitted opening of a new government degree college (or government first grade college) at Hiriyadka in Udupi district, coming under Mangalore University. In addition, the Government has allowed starting new courses in other existing government degree colleges affiliated to Mangalore University. The Government has done so by quoting Section 59/11 of the Act. But the proposals to start the new college and new courses in the existing government colleges never came up before the decision-making bodies of the university. Those colleges did not send even an application to the university.

Considering these lapses, the Syndicate had asked the university to withhold admission of students to the new courses in existing government degree colleges and at the Hiriyadka college.

On the other hand, the colleges have already admitted students to those courses.

The sources said that as per the provisions of the Act any proposal either to start a new college or a new course in the existing colleges should be placed before the registrars of the universities concerned. Later, it would be placed before the Syndicate for its consideration. The Syndicate would constitute a local inquiry committee to study the proposals. The committee should submit its report to the Academic Council. The council after recording its opinion would send it to the Syndicate that would take a final decision on granting affiliation to a new college or to a new course.

Later, the Registrar of the university would send the application of the college concerned, observations made by the committee, the council and the Syndicate to the Government before March 31 of the year. The Government could permit the opening of new courses or new colleges based on the reports of decision-making bodies of a university.

Sub-sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 under Section 59 of the Act had made the procedures clear, the sources said.

They said that colleges should have applied to the university in October last. But they did not do so. The Government had given permission directly, bypassing the university.

The action of the Government would send a wrong signal, especially to private colleges. By quoting this instance private colleges might seek the Government's permission to start new courses ignoring universities. It might give scope for commercialisation of education, sources said.

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