SC issues notice to Centre on law relating to deemed status

SC issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging the validity of the law conferring power on the Centre and the UGC to grant deemed university status.

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging the validity of the law conferring power on the Central government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to grant deemed university status to an institute.

The PIL on the issue assumes importance as it has come at a time when the government was held back by the apex court from going ahead with its move to de-recognise 44 deemed universities.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan,Justices V S Sirpurakar and Deepak Verma sought a response from the Centre and UGC on the contention that the power conferred on the executive for granting deemed university status to educational institutions are violative of the Constitution.

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Senior advocate Rohington F Nariman and Amit Anand Tiwari,appearing for Patna-based consumer right activist Jitendra Narayan Singh,contended the provision in the University Grants Commission Act for granting deemed university status has not been followed in spirit.

“The idea of deemed university was different,” Nariman said adding 124 institutes have been granted deemed university status by the UGC by invoking section 3 of the Act.

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