Governor’s powers clipped: Uniform Code for 22 varsities under Higher Education
- State is set to introduce uniform code in all its 22 varsities under the Higher Education Department
- It will set up a Centralised Committee to clear appointments, including the non-teaching and administrative staff.
- The powers of Governor who is the defacto Chancellor of Universities, will be curtailed
- Three new universities established.
FollowThe State government is all set to introduce a new Act, to implement Uniform Code in all the22 Universities under the Higher Education Department and also to set up a Centralised Appointment Committee to regulate the functioning of the varsities. The Governor who is the defacto Chancellor of all varsities can pass any orders and give directions to all varsities following the recommendations of the State government. The government also has the powers to initiate inquiries, set up commissions, conduct investigations and also to cancel or withdraw such orders.
Higher Education Minister Basavaraja Rayareddy presented the Karnataka Universities Bill 2017 in the Assembly session on Wednesday. If this comes into effect, all powers with regard to appointment to varsities, taking up civil works and other developmental works at all varsities in the State will rest with the State Government.
Modifications have also been made with regard to appointment of Vice Chancellors, jurisdictions of Varsities. Three new universities have been established. The Mandya Government College has been upgraded to autonomous university and all colleges under the Mandya district will come under its purview. The Bengaluru Maharani’s group of collages have been separated from the Bangalore University and made into Maharani’s Cluster University. The Raichur Revenue district has been separated from the Gulbarga Varsity and made into a full fledged Raichur University.
The initiation to form the uniform code for varsities came from the fact that all universities in the State are covered under the Karnataka State Universities Act 2000, which in turn was based on the earlier Act 1976. Subsequently 7 more Acts were implemented with regard to universities. They define different regulations. Considering this a uniform code was designed to bring all 22 universities under one roof.
The Governor will be the defacto Chancellor. The Governor has the power to conduct meetings of Commissions, in consultation with the State government. The Higher Education Minister will also be the Deputy Chancellor. With regard to appointing a Vice-Chancellor certain provisions and restrictions are defined. Even IAS and KAS officers can be nominated as VCs.
The Centralised Committee will appoint all professors and assistant professors, librarians and physical instructors. The Committee will consist of 3 retired VCs, one of them appointed by the State government, one an expert educationist recommended by the university and an IAS or KAS officer will be the secretary. Even non-teaching and administrative staff will also be appointed by the Committee.
