Four Educational Institutions In Odisha Granted UGC Autonomy

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has granted autonomy to four educational institutions in Odisha.

Of the four educational institutions include Utkal University, Bhubaneswar and National Law University of Odisha, Cuttack under State University category, and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT)  and Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan under institutions deemed to be universities category.

This was announced by the Union Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar at a media briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday.  He said the Centre is striving to introduce a liberalized regime in the education sector and emphasis is on linking autonomy with quality.

Giving further details, Javadekar said 60 higher educational institutions which have been granted autonomy includes 52 universities (Five central universities, 21 state universities, 24 deemed universities, and two private universities.

He explained that these universities will remain within the ambit of UGC but will have the freedom to start new courses, off campus centers, skill development courses, research parks and any other new academic programs.

They will also have the freedom to hire foreign faculty, enroll foreign students, give incentive based emoluments to the faculty, enter into academic collaborations and run open distance learning programmes.

Eight colleges have also been granted autonomy, the Union minister said. The eight autonomous collages will be free to set their own syllabus, hold examinations, carry out evaluation as well as declare results. In this case, only the degree will be awarded by the respective university.

He also said that a show cause notice will be given to three deemed universities which are lacking in quality.