RE: [MTC Global] UGC asks IITs to toe its line on degrees and academic programmes

We had expected the young MHRD minister to be proactive and start setting
right the wrongs that have crept into the system in so many years. Prime
Minister pointed out from Red Fort that there are governments within the
government and so seems to be case here too and our honorable minister seems
to be dumb struck. If this state of affairs continue, we are going to see
worst days ahead.
Regards
Virendra Goel

-----Original Message-----
From: join_mtc@googlegroups.com [mailto:join_mtc@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of Ganesh Natarajan
Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2014 5:30 PM
To: join_mtc@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [MTC Global] UGC asks IITs to toe its line on degrees and
academic programmes

Interesting - I just spoke at the inaugural session of the AIMS annual
conference and there is more than a small degree of cobcern on excessive
academic regulations.

Hope we will see a better partnership between academia corporate and
regulators in the months to come

Cheers


Ganesh
www.ganeshnatarajan.com


-------- Original message --------
From: "Prof. Bholanath Dutta"
Date:21/08/2014 17:22 (GMT+05:30)
To: join_mtc@googlegroups.com
Subject: [MTC Global] UGC asks IITs to toe its line on degrees and academic
programmes

The apex higher education regulator- University Grants Commission- is learnt
to have written to all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) asking them to
ensure that the degrees they are offering are aligned to those recognized by
them.
The Commission has also sent to all IITs a copy of the 5th July 2014 Gazette
notification it issued after the Delhi University Four Year Undergraduate
Programme (FYUP) controversy listing out all the recognised degrees.
The IITs are far from amused at the UGC suddenly writing letters to them on
its academic programmes as they are governed by their own Act of Parliament.
It is learnt that some of the upset IITs have already taken up the matter
with the Smriti Irani led Union Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry
asking how the regulator for the university system is issuing circulars to
them.
One of the IITs that could be directly affected by UGC's latest
communication is IIT Kanpur. IIT Kanpur offers four year undergraduate
programmes -Bachelors in Science (BS) in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and
Economics. UGC's list of recognized degrees only allows for a four year BSc
degree; under pressure from UGC IISC was recently forced to rename its
Bachleors of Science (BS) programme to a three year BSc one and BSc Research
for a four year one.
IIT Kanpur's Dean Academic Affairs, Prof Dheeraj Sanghi when contacted said
that the IIT has decided not to proceed ahead on the UGC communication as
the Commission has no legal power to direct IITs.
"We have decided not to take cognizance of the UGC communication as of now
as the Commission can hardly dictate on academic issues to IITs. We are
governed by our own Act. If UGC presses ahead, we will take the issue to our
Senate if necessary and decide on it. The UGC communication, however, raises
other serious issues as it would also mean dual degree programmes are
largely illegal. Dual degree courses are highly popular in IITs and the UGC
directions could therefore upset many IITs", Prof Sanghi told India Today
magazine.
IIT Roorkee Director Prof Pradipta Banerjee said that they have decided not
to act on the UGC communication at all as the degrees the IIT offers are as
permitted under the IIT Act. IIT Roorkee administration, however, is learnt
to have taken up the matter with Secretary Higher Education, HRD ministry.
Other IITs have argued that since they do not depend on UGC for funding and
nor are they governed by UGC regulations, the higher education regulator can
hardly be shooting off diktats to them.
The 16 IITs are autonomous engineering institutes of national importance
governed by The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 that lays down their
powers, duties, framework for governance etc.
UGC Chairman Prof Ved Prakash when contacted, however, said that IITs also
have to align their degrees and their nomenclature in keeping with the
gazette notification.
"A communication has been sent to IITs to align their courses and degrees
with the ones recognized by UGC. This communication has been sent to IITs to
ensure all degrees granted by an institute in the country is recognized and
ensures employment of students. In case IITs do not adhere to the
established and recognized nomenclature and academic programmes, the
government will take a call on the same."


Read more at:
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ugc-asks-iits-to-toe-its-line-on-degrees-
and-academic-programmes/1/378072.html


Educate, Empower, Elevate
Prof. Bholanath Dutta
Founder, Convener & President
MTC Global & Knowledge Cafe
Participant: United Nations Global Compact ISO 9001:2008 Organization
www.mtcglobal.org /www.knowledgecafe.org
[cid:image001.png@01CFBD64.3ADBB410]
Cell: +91 96323 18178 / +91 81520 60465 / +91 7411716392
Email: president@knowledgecafe.org<mailto:president@knoweldgecafe.org>
president@mtcglobal.org<mailto:president@mtcglobal.org>


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