Kochi: As against the prevailing rules and the stipulations, the University Grants Commission has granted deemed to be university status to an institution in Kerala recently. In this connection, a circular from Ministry of Human Resource Development says that it received a proposal for grant of status of deemed-to-be-university (under de novo category) to Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala with its off-campus namely Chinmaya Naadu Bindu, Pune.
There have been a number of complaints against the operation of Deemed varsities and the UGC has stopped granting of Deemed status for the last several number of years. Enquiry also has been going on against these varsities.
Now, the proposal of Chinmaya dated the 2nd March, 2016 has been examined by UGC and after subsequent clarifications of even number dated 30th December, 2016 have also been examined and the Commission has recommended conferment of status of 'deemed-to-be-university' under de novo category to Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala, with its off-campus namely Chinmaya Naadu Bindu, Pune.
Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the Central Government, on the advice of the University Grants Commission (UGC), hereby declares that 'Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala shall be deemed to be university with its offcampus namely Chinmaya Naadu Bindu, Pune for the purpose of aforesaid Act provisionally, for a period of five years.
The declaration of Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam., as deemed to be university shall be confirmed after five years on the basis of performance report of UGC Expert Committee(s) as mentioned in Regulation 9.4 of UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities).
The UGC (Institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations, 2016 and its further amendments from time to time and Guidelines of UGC issued from time to time w.r.t Deemed University shall be binding on Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala.
The declaration made in para 4 above is further subject to fulfillment/compliance of the following conditions:
(i) The Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth , Ernakulam, Kerala shall amend I update its Memorandum of Association (MoA) and Rules, as and when necessary, in consultation & concurrence with the UGC. The Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala, shall also carry out amendments I improvements, if any, suggested by the Government of India or the UGC, in its MoA/Rules;
(ii) The Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala shall not offer any distance education programmes.
(iii) The Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala shall not also open or operate any off campus or off shore campus centres without obtaining the prior approval of the UGC and the Government of India.
(iv) The academic programmes offered or to be offered by Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala will conform to the norms and standards prescribed by the relevant Statutory Councils;
(v) The Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala shall not offer any award, as the case may be, any degrees that are not specified by the UGC. It shall also ensure that the nomenclatures of the degrees, etc. to be awarded by it are specified by the UGC under Section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956.
(vi) Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala shall not also undertake franchising of higher education which is not permissible under any circumstances.
(vii) Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala is also not permitted to affiliate any college(s)/institution(s).
(viii) All the prescribed norms and procedures of the relevant Statutory Councils and other authorities concerned in the matter of admission of students, intake capacity of students, starting of new courses/ programmes, renewal of approval to the courses, etc. will continue to be in force, and shall be adhered to by the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala.
(ix) The Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam, Kerala shall take all necessary steps to comply with the observations and suggestions, if any, of the Expert Committee of the UGC as made out in its relevant Inspection Report.
