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Journalism of Courage
AFTER GURU Nanak Khalsa college in Matunga and Patkar-Varde College in Goregaon received autonomous status last month, the UGC recently granted autonomy to eight more colleges, which include three city colleges – SNDT’s Dr Bhanuben Mahendra Nanavati College of Home Science in Matunga, Hansraj Jivandas College of Education (Khar West) and Changukana Thakur College (Panvel). While the city now has 16 autonomous colleges, Maharashtra has 68.
These colleges can now apply for a grant of Rs 5 crore for improving their infrastructure under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan’s (RUSA) component number 8, which focuses on ‘enhancing quality and excellence in select autonomous colleges’, provided they have a National Assessment and Accreditation Council(NAAC) score of at least 3.51.
The colleges being conferred autonomous status should experiment with their curriculum, said higher and technical education minister Vinod Tawde, in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Principal of Dr Bhanuben Mahendra Nanavati College of Home Science, Dr Shilpa Charankar, said, “ Our objective now, after attaining autonomy, is to enhance existing programmes as per the industry’s need, focus on skill development, modify existing assessment system, introduce online courses, enhance employability skills, increase internship period and introduce new need-based programs. We will also be applying for the RUSA grant.”
Ramnarain Ruia College, St Xavier’s College , Sophia, SIES, BK Birla, Mithibai, Jai Hind and Rayat Shikshan Sanstha’s Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College are among the 12 autonomous colleges funded by RUSA.
Five years ago, the number of autonomous colleges was stagnant at 36, now it has increased to 68.
