Govt determined to prevent malpractices at pvt universities: Minister Pansheriya

“A three-member inquiry committee was appointed to probe the matter through which an intensive investigation has been conducted. Notices were issued to the university but no satisfactory response was received. An administrator was appointed by the state government, too. The inquiry happened during the Covid pandemic, too. Action is being taken against the university and the degrees have been withdrawn,” the minister stated.

In response to a supplementary question regarding the provision for supervision and control of private universities like Sabarmati University, the minister added that under the Gujarat Private Universities Act, 2009, two committees — high-level apex committee and monitoring inspection, review and scrutiny committee — have been constituted by the education department for effective monitoring and control. These have been constituted to keep complete supervision and control over the universities.

An inquiry committee constituted by the state government had detected gross irregularities in the functioning of Sabarmati University. The inquiry report confirmed awarding of over “1,500 invalid PhD and MPhil degrees without eligibility and following the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines”.

As reported by The Indian Express in July 2020, amid ongoing inquiry against Sabarmati University, formerly Calorx Teachers’ University, over alleged irregularities in awarding PhD and MPhil degrees, financial discrepancies, and non-cooperation of the university with the inquiry committee, the state government had appointed then Director of Higher Education, M Nagarajan, administrator at the university to monitor its activities.