Higher education panel moots commission to govern varsities

The three government-appointed committees on higher and technical education,including the apex committee headed by Kakodkar,submitted their reports on Thursday.

“The burden on universities of managing affiliating college networks should be brought down through establishment of autonomous examination boards in each university and grant of graded autonomy to colleges,” the report said.

Noting that the higher education scene is dominated by a large number of affiliated colleges,it says, “It is important that depending on the performance of these colleges,they are granted graded autonomy,which should be under a periodic review. This would enable autonomous institutions to innovate and do better within the parameters of their autonomy and at the same time reduce the burden on the university.”

The committee proposes a Maharashtra State Commission on Higher Education and Development (MAHED),which will develop higher education policies. Academicians,scientists,technocrats,business & industry experts and financial experts will be the members and it should be guided by an apex advisory-cum-supervisory council chaired by the Governor on one side and a broad- based academic and development council on the other. All universities will be answerable to it and it will play a central role in appointment of vice-chancellors who should be the sole academic and administrative head of a university.

The committee suggests that the senate should be replaced by an advisory body titled “society partnership council”,which will have nominated members from various stakeholders. The chancellor (Governor) would head this council and nominate its members from among names suggested by the vice-chancellor. The committee also recommends that university elections should be done away with.