Prof.
J. D. Agarwal, Chairman & Director, Indian Institute
of Finance, has welcomed the initiative taken by the UGC in
respect of private universities. He has appreciated the decision
of the UGC that the private universities established under
the State act, shall operate ordinarily within the boundary
of the state. He has also appreciated that after the development
of main campus and five years of operations, a university
may be permitted, in exceptional circumstances, to open up
off campus centers and study centres. A university by the
very word conveys a meaning to all the stake holders that
has well developed infrastructure and adhere to certain minimum
standards.
It is unfortunate that the private universities
which mushroomed all over the country in the recent past are
one room universities with absolutely no infrastructure -
academic or physical, opined Prof. Agarwal. Prof. Agarwal
strongly feels that education is a philanthropic activity
and must be pursued by institutions of higher learning with
that spirit. He also advocates that there should be a reasonableness
in the fee structure and a vision to offer high quality education.
Prof. Agarwal welcomed the UGC’s announcement to inspect
and assess the private universities and indicate to them deficiencies.
In case a university fails to rectify the deficiencies, the
UGC has rightly decided to prohibit them from offering any
graduate or postgraduate courses.
According
to Prof. Agarwal, the UGC’s actions are timely and well
framed.
