Following are excerpts from a report in tathya.in.
After years of donkey work to set up a multi-disciplinary university in Odisha at an investment of Rs 150-200 crore, it has failed to take off. For last 4 years the technocrat is trying hard to set up the facility. Every thing was falling in line and the Government was moving with full speed to clear the ICFAI University Bill-2009 in the Odisha House.
However Opposition Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan played spoil sport.
While initiating discussion on the bill, lawmaker from Satyabadi charged the university is mired in controversy following a ruling by the Madras High Court for closure of the institute’s off-campus and study centres in Tamil Nadu. He also cited the ruling of the Andhra Pradesh High Court restraining ICFAI to award degree certificates.
Although the ICFAI was registered under Societies Act in 1984 in Andhra Pradesh for offering distance learning, it is yet to set up a university in the state. The society has two universities – one in Agartala and the other is at Dehra Dun. However, many off-campus and study centres of the two universities are operating in many states without approval of the University Grants Commission and respective governments.
ICFAI is also running an off-campus centre in Bhubaneswar also, which came to light.
Now the State Government has asked to close down the centre as it is running without the approval of the UGC.
The ICFAI authorities have been asked to file affidavit on this count, said an official.
With allegations coming to fore, even Chief Minister is also worried over the reputation of his government, said sources. When these allegations came out in the floor of the Assembly, Naveen Patnaik Government was on back foot. This is because the State Government signed the MOU with ICFAI on 20 March, 2007 without verifying the credentials. Samir Dey, the then Minister Higher Education was batting for the ICFAI University and took the lead in signing the MOU, said an officer.
However now things are different and Debi Prasad Mishra, Minister Higher Education has made it clear that unless ICFAI authorities clear the allegations against them, it is unlikely that bill will be taken up once again in the House.
So quietly the bill has been deferred for the next Assembly session, said an official.
While the bill is yet to be cleared, ICFAI has already identified 53 acres of land for the university. The land has been identified close to Sum Hospital on the outskirts of the city. Out of the total land area of 53 acres, ICFAI has got 11 acres of land registered for the university project. Now with the bill being dumped, fate of the proposed private university hangs in balance.
The article at http://www.careers360.com/news/3437-ICFAI-avoid-till-they-come-clean seems to give a clear picture of the mess ICFAI has gotten itself into.
My suggestion to ICFAI would be to start the various colleges in Orissa with appropriate permission. I.e., if it wanted to start an engineering college and management school then it should do that with AICTE approval and under BPUT. Similarly for medical, nursing, journalism, etc.; whatever it had plans for. Only after it has them up and running and with quality faculty, top-notch facilities and some nationally ranked colleges it should come back to the state for a university bill. Not before that!!
December 6th, 2009
Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.
Hyderabad-based Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (Icfai), which is aiming to set up a multi-disciplinary university in Orissa at an investment of Rs 150-200 crore, has identified 53 acres of land for the university.
The land has been identified close to Sum Hospital on the outskirts of the city. Out of the total land area of 53 acres, Icfai has got 11 acres of land registered for the university project.
… The university project in Orissa has been marred by delay as the Icfai Private University Bill is yet to be introduced in the state legislative assembly.
The Icfai Private University Bill would be introduced soon in the forthcoming session of the Orissa legislative assembly, claimed Noorus.
Icfai had earlier announced that its proposed university in Orissa would be functional eighteen months after the Icfai Private University Bill became an Act.
The Icfai University in Orissa would have no management quota, NRI quota or capitation fee. The university would have strength of about 1,500 students and offer courses in various disciplines like engineering, management, law, science and humanities.
Apart from Orissa, Icfai is also setting up universities in other states across the country. States like Uttaranchal, Tripura, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Jharkhand have passed the legislations facilitating the establishment of Icfai universities.
The proposed Icfai universities in Uttaranchal and Tripura have received the approval of the University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act.
Other states like Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan have already issued letters of intent to Icfai for setting up universities.
The Orissa government needs to be careful with respect to ICFAI. Earlier this year there have been controversies regarding its operation in Hyderbad and in Bangalore.
October 24th, 2009
Various reports (Economic Times,PTI) mention that Orissa government has introduced bills for three private universities. They are: Vedanta University, Sri Sri University and ICFAI University.
In this context it should be noted that the UGC currently (as of June 2009) recognizes 42 such private state universities in India. None of them are in Orissa. This list of 42 universities obtained from the UGC site http://www.ugc.ac.in/notices/updatedpriuniver.pdf is as follows:
CHHATTISGARH
1. Dr. C.V. Raman University, Kargi Road, Kota, Bilaspur.
2. MATS University, Arang Kharora Highway, Gram Panchayat: Gullu, Village: Gullu, Tehsil : Arang, District: Raipur.
GUJARAT
3. Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Gandhinagar, Post Box No. 4, Gandhinagar-382 007.
4. Ganpat University, Ganpat Vidyanagar, Mehsana, Goazaria Highway, District Mehsana – 382 711
5. Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya, Sarva Vidyalaya Campus, Sector 15/23, Gandhinagar.
6. Nirma University of Science & Technology, Sarkhej, Gandhinagar Highway, Village- Chharodi, Ahmedabad.
7. Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, At Raisan, Dist. Gandhinagar – 382 009.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
8. Chitkara University, HIMUDA Education Hub, Kallujhanda (Barotiwala), Distt. Solan, – 174103 Himachal Pradesh
9. Jaypee University of Information Technology, District-Solan-173 215.
MEGHALYA
10. Martin Luther Christian University, KIPA Conference Centre, Central Ward, Shillong – 793 001.
11. Techno Global University, Anita Mension Bishnupur, Lawsohtun Road, Shillong – 793004.
MIZORAM
12. The Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University, Salem Veng, Chaltlang, Aizawal – 798 012.
NAGALAND
13. The Global Open University, Wokha – 797 111.
PUNJAB
14. Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar –Ludhiana, G. T. Road, Near Chehru Railway Bridge, Phagwara, District – Kapurthala – 144 002.
RAJASTHAN
15. Bhagwant University, Post Box No. 87, Sikar Road, Ajmer – 305 001.
16. Jagannath University, Village-Rampura, Tehsil-Chaksu, Jaipur.
17. Jaipur National University, Jagatpura, Jaipur.
18. Jyoti Vidyapeeth Women’s University, Vedant Gyan Valley Village, Jharna Matpala Jabner, Link Road NH-8, Jaipur.
19. Mewar University, Chittorgarh.
20. NIMS University, Shobha Nagar, Jaipur – 303 001.
21. Sir Padmapat Singhania University, Pacheribari, Jhunjhunu.
22. Singhania University, Pacheribari, Jhunjunu.
23. Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Mahal Jagatpura, Jaipur.
24. Jodhpur National University, Narnadi Jhanwar Road , Jodhpur -342001 ,Rajasthan.
25. Amity University, Rajasthan NH-11C,Kant Kalwar, Jaipur- 303002
SIKKIM
26. Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management University, Jorethang.
27. Sikkim- Manipal University of Health, Medical & Technological Sciences, Gangtok-737 101.
TRIPURA
28. Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI), Agartala – 799001.
UTTAR PRADESH
29. Amity University, NOIDA, (UP)
30. Integral University, Kursi Road, Lucknow-226 026.
31. Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University, Chitrakoot Dham-210 204.
32. Mangalayatan University, Aligarh.
33. Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, Rampur.
34. Sharda University, Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P.
35. Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Delhi-Haridwar Byepass Road, Meerut.
36. Teerthanker Mahaveer Univesity, Delhi Road, Moradabad.
UTTRAKHAND
37. Dev Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Gayatrikunj, Shantikunj, Hardwar-249 411.
38. Doon University, Campus Office, 388/2, Indira Nagar, Dehradoon.
39. Himgiri Nabh Vishwavidyalaya (University in the Sky), Dehradun.
40. Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI), C-1/103, Indira Nagar, Dehradun-248 006.
41. University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Building No. 7, Street No. 1, Vasant Vihar Enclave, Dehradun-284 006.
42. University of Patanjali, Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar.
In that document, after giving the list, the notice says the following:
These universities are competent to award degrees as specified by UGC under Section 22 of the UGC Act and with the approval of the statutory councils, wherever required through their main campus. Wherever the approval of the statutory council is not a pre-requisite to start a programme, the universities are required to maintain the minimum standards regarding academic and physical infrastructure as laid down by the concerned statutory council.
It is also informed that private universities cannot affiliate an institution/college. They cannot establish off campus centre(s) beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the concerned State. However, they can establish off-campus centre(s) within the concerned State after their existence of five years and with the prior approval of the University Grants Commission. So far, UGC has not approved any off campus centre(s) of any Private University.
Approval letters for course under distance mode should clearly state that the course has been approved by the Joint Committee UGC, AICTE and DEC and the approval letter should be jointly signed by Secretary UGC , Member Secretary, AICTE and Director, DEC as per the provision laid down under clause 9 of the MOU signed by UGC, AICTE and DEC.
Students/Public at large are advised to go through this website carefully before taking admission in any of the above State Private Universities and report the matter to Secretary, UGC on finding any violation of the above provisions.
Interestingly, none of the above are in the southern states (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala) or Maharastra which took a huge lead in establishing engineering colleges.
July 25th, 2009
