The question of
recognition and validity of degrees/
diplomas certificates awarded through Distance
Education is once again making waves amongst the legal chambers of the
capital. In early January 2013,
Punjab
Technical University (PTU) came into radar upon plea filed by a student
pursuing MCA
course through a study center of PTU. On
March 21st 2013, the Delhi High
Court allowed PTU to
continue with examinations of the enrolled students and the also ordered PTU to
restrain from admitting students for 2013 session until it obtain necessary
approvals from UGC
& Distance Education Council (DEC).
This time the
private varsity, Mahatma
Gandhi University (MGU) established in Meghalaya
has come into notice after petition filed by its student in Delhi High
Court alleging that the MGU
Meghalaya has entered into various technical collaborations and opened
study / learning centers across nation. One such center, Fashionista, charged
him over one lakh rupees for diploma course. Later the student came to know
that the center lacks basic arrangement and infrastructure like library, labs,
teachers, etc. The student didn’t receive even the copy of the syllabus from
the center or from MGU even
after 6 months of the commencement of academic session.
As per the University
Grants Commission (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities)
Regulations of 2003, “A
private university established under a State Act shall operate ordinarily
within the boundary of the State concerned. However, after the development of
main campus, in exceptional circumstances, the
university may be permitted to open off-campus centres, off-shore campuses and study
centres after five years of its coming into existence and subject to the following
conditions:
1. The off-campus centre(s) and / or the study
centre(s) shall be set up with the prior approval of the UGC and
that of the State Government(s) where the centre(s) is/are proposed to be
opened.”
Even the apex body, DEC,
governing the recognition of distance education in the nation failed to observe
and adhere its own rule while granting approval to MGU
Meghalaya which is reproduced below:
“As per the decision
taken in 40th meeting of the Distance
Education Council, the territorial of the State Universities
(both govt funded and private) will be as per their Acts and Statutes but not
beyond the boundaries of their respective State. No sub-letting of the study
centres can be allowed and the University should close down such centres.
Running of the study centers outside the jurisdiction should not be allowed.”
The private
university, MGU Meghalaya, which got recognized by UGC by
the mid of 2011 got approval from DEC
within one year of establishment for almost all professional & traditional
degree & post graduate degree programmes in management, sciences,
animation, media, computers, etc. Interestingly, the varsity hasn’t got any
approval from UGC to
run these study centers and distance
educational programmes beyond its territorial
jurisdiction of the state, Meghalaya.
The main campus of MGU at Meghalaya is still not developed.
However, respecting
the DEC notice few state universities like Maharishi Dayanand University
(MDU Rohtak), Guru Jambheshwar University
(GJU Hisar), Sikkim ManipalUniversity (SMU Gangtok, Sikkim) have already shunned their
operations beyond their respective state boundaries.
All other private
varsities like MGU
Meghalaya, Lovely Professional University (LPU Punjab), CMJ
University Meghalaya, The Global
Open University (Nagaland), EIILM University (Sikkim), NIILM University (Haryana), NIMS University (Jaipur) and many more are openly
flouting rules. Sources even confirm that private varsities are even shelling
out their regular and full-time degrees by franchising through private shops.
Source:
- K. Anuj
Member Journalist Association of 
Last year in 2012, the Meghalaya Government imposed a restriction on self-financing private universities in the State from opening and running off- campus centres. The Education Minister informed media persons that the private universities which are already running off-campus centres should immediately close their operation. As per the norms laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC), a private university can neither affiliate any institution/college nor establish off-campus centre(s) beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the concerned State.
ReplyDeleteThe following are the news links:
http://www.northeasttoday.in/our-states/meghalaya/restriction-on-m%E2%80%99laya-private-varsities-from-run-off-campus-centres/
http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2012/04/05/private-varsities-not-to-run-off-campus-centres/
34 PRIVATE VARSITIES RUN ILLEGAL STUDY CENTRES
ReplyDeleteMonday, 15 April 2013 | Deepak Kumar Jha
Source: Daily Pioneer
http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/34-private-varsities-run--illegal-study-centres.html
A number of universities are engaged in running a racket of opening study centres across the country in violation of their prescribed territorial jurisdictions in alleged connivance of the Government authorities.
While the regulatory body — University Grants Commission (UGC) — has listed 21 universities as fake, there are about 34 established private universities which have been flouting norms and operating beyond their permissible jurisdiction. Some of them are using the name(s) of famous personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi. Presently there are a total of 154 private universities governed by the UGC (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003.
A top official in the HRD Ministry said that the Ministry was aware of the racket and will soon launch a joint crackdown with nine State Governments. One such case, which the UGC has been probing for the last five months, is about Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) ‘operating’ from North-eastern State of Meghalaya. It has opened several study centres across the country by flouting norms laid by the Centre, State and UGC.
“It has violated all norms and opened study centres beyond its territorial jurisdiction. Located at West Garo Hills, the MGU has not been authorised to run courses beyond the State of Meghalaya as per the regulations of Distance Education Council,” said a HRD official.
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