New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has urged the Centre to “actively consider” allowing deemed universities in the country to use the term ‘university’ to avoid confusion abroad.
The panel mentioned that most foreign countries do not use such a nomenclature.
In its report, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports has recommended an amendment of clause 23 of the UGC Act, 1956 to let the deemed universities shed the prefix, Indian Express reported.
“The Committee recommends that the Government give an active consideration to the demand that deemed universities be allowed to use the term ‘university’ by amending Clause 23 of the UGC Act, 1956 which states that no institution, other than a university established or incorporated by a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act is entitled to use the word ‘University’, as the term ‘deemed university’ creates a lot of confusion in foreign countries as there is no concept of deemed university in many parts of the world,” the panel has said in its report.
The report – “Review of education standards, accreditation process, research, examination reforms and academic environment in Deemed/Private Universities/other Higher Education Institutions” further makes a strong pitch for streamlining the accreditation process of higher education institutions.
The house panel, chaired by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, has observed that only 30 per cent of the universities and 20 per cent of the colleges are accredited in India.
“There is a long way to go as, out of 50,000 colleges, there were less than 9,000 colleges who are accredited,” it pointed out.
Higher Education Secretary K Sanjay Murthy said that the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) will have a vertical on accreditation.