New Delhi, January 11
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today admitted that the government was keen on extending the Central varsity status to Panjab University in Chandigarh, but the Punjab government was standing in the way of the move.
The minister was referring to PU when proposing a system of disaffiliation of institutes from state universities to grant full academic and financial autonomy to institutes, most of which are affiliates, with regulated fees and salaries accounting for 80 per cent of their budgets.
“Right now the state universities make money in the process of setting the exams and conducting them for their affiliates. Naturally, state governments are inclined to let the system continue because if they upset the status quo, the financial burden, to an extent, would fall on them,” Sibal argued, while admitting that the affiliated professional colleges in particular left much to be desired in terms of quality of education imparted.
Even Knowledge Commission has favoured autonomy for higher education institutes, with Sibal today saying the ministry would propose a system of disaffiliation in which a separate body would conduct exams, leaving the universities alone to do research, which is their primary job. “But we can only propose, the lead must come from states.”
Though the minister added that the Punjab government was opposed to Central status for PU also because the state would lose out on the revenue generated from PU through its affiliates, the argument does not appear to stand in case of PU, which is an inter-state body corporate and not a state university, technically. Originally, Punjab and Haryana were to both contribute 40 per cent each to the budget of PU, the rest coming from the home ministry through the UT of Chandigarh. But Punjab has been contributing only Rs 16 crore per annum (10 per cent) to PU - mainly to pay for its 175 affiliated colleges. Sources in PU argued that Punjab might actually gain economically from disaffiliation as it would save Rs 16 crore as Haryana did when it opted for disaffiliation of its colleges from PU and stopped paying 40 per cent of PU’s budget it was supposed to.
In case of PU’s status, the primary objection of Punjab to its conversion into a Central varsity remains political as it weakens Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh. But, the fact, that the centre is keen to facilitate PU was clear today from Sibal’s remarks.
So far as disaffiliation goes, Punjab colleges also don’t want to let go of PU, which lends credibility to their degrees. “We pay for the recognition which affiliation to PU gives us. PU, in turn, regulates our fee structure and faculty position. It is an organic bond, which suits both sides,” said head of a PU affiliated college in Punjab.
As for the HRD ministry, it wants Punjab to either fulfill its financial obligation of 40 per cent of the budget towards PU or give up its claim on it.
