Solan, September 2
HP Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission today cancelled 998 seats of private universities following their failure to recruit adequate faculty vis-à-vis the student strength and arrange requisite infrastructure.

According to information, as against the approved intake of 17,848 seats in 16 private universities, 16,850 seats have been approved and 998 have been cancelled. This includes 438 seats in engineering alone whereas against the approved strength of 7,608 only 7,170 seats have been approved.

Likewise in B Pharma, M Pharma, MBA, MCA, LLB, etc, as against the approved strength (10,240 seats), 9,680 seats have been allowed while 438 have been cancelled.

Among the universities, which faced the maximum reduction in its approved seats, is Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technology where 420 seats in MBA and engineering courses have been reduced. As against the approved strength of 1,140 seats, only 720 have been allowed.

The commission had conducted inspection of each university in July where their infrastructure, including labs, library, faculty strength and other such facilities, was inspected. The commission had then approved seats for various courses for the current academic session.

The universities were given time to appoint staff. The institutes which had failed to meet the deficiencies had been directed to reduce their student intake, said sources in the commission.

The commission is again visiting the universities to ensure that these institutes have complied with the directions and the staff and infrastructure have been put in place to ensure that there is no compromise on quality.

The reduction of seats has come as a big blow to private universities which had been voicing their concern over fewer admissions owing to strict admission norms put forth by the commission and demanding relaxation for filling vacant seats. While some universities have been forced to surrender their approved courses in the absence of adequate faculty, the student intake has reduced in many others after these directions.