Panjab University likely to make fresh bid for Category I autonomous tag

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13: The Panjab University is likely to move a fresh application to the University Grants Commission (UGC) to get into ‘Category I’ of autonomous institutions. The UGC in March this year accorded graded autonomy to 52 universities, PU was placed in the ‘Category II’.

The Universities granted full autonomy (Category I) have been given freedom to start new courses, off-campus centers, skill development courses, research parks and any other new academic programs. They also have the freedom to hire foreign faculty, enroll foreign students, give incentive based emoluments to the faculty, enter into academic collaborations and run open distance learning programmes.

The Category II institutions to do any of the above-mentioned activity will first have to formulate a committee, that will again have to report to UGC for final approval.

The UGC has recently listed out conditions that PU needs to follow, it has also asked it to inform about the benefits being implemented from the new academic session. The varsity has to revert stating that it would comply with the regulations.

The University Syndicate meeting is likely to take up the issue and discuss whether it should apply for Category I again.

Majority of the people associated with the University are of the view that it should make the fresh bid for the Category I status as many of the institutions much below in various national and international rankings like Kurukshetra University and Guru Nanak Dev University have been given Category I autonomy.