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| SC breather for deemed varsities till March 8 |
| BS Reporter / New Delhi Jan 26, 2010, 00:43 IST |
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The Supreme Court today assured 44 deemed universities and their students that “nothing will happen to them” till it heard all the parties concerned. The court also issued notices to all the 44 universities to file their response on the government’s decision to de-recognise them for not maintaing the minimum standard.
The apex court asked the government to submit the reports of the task force and the review committee, which are at the centre of the controversy, before the next hearing, which is on March 8.
The central government, on its part, assured the court that it had not taken any step towards derecognition, or otherwise, following the acceptance of the report of the task force and the review committee. In fact, it is contemplating what steps it should take following the report. The students’ interest would be taken care of, Attorney General G E Vahanvati said.
Several deemed universities pleaded that media reports have created panic among the students and their parents and there have been arson in some campuses. They submitted that they have been given statutory status by the University Grants Commission. It cannot be taken away without hearing them or even giving notice to them.
There were heated exchanges in the crowded courtroom with several senior counsel speaking at the same time. The attorney general’s remark that the “cacophony” must stop provoked further squabble, till the judges put a stop to the row. The bench consisting of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice A K Patnaik remarked in jest that the next hearing should be at the sprawling Ramlila Maidan in the national capital to accommodate everyone.
Vahanvati stated that there were three categories of deemed universities in the report of the task force — 38 which justified their status, 44 which are deficient, but capable of rectification and 44 which do not fulfil the criteria. “The government has just accepted the reports. Not everyone has been derecognised; there is no automatic derecognition, and the ministry will decide on the next procedure within two weeks,” the attorney general clarified to allay the fears of the affected universities.
Senior counsel F S Nariman, representing one of the affected deemed universities, submitted that while the UGC had granted recognition, the government had threatened to take it away on two reports that were submitted by committees, which have no statutory authority.
Rajiv Dhavan, counsel for another such university, pointed out that many universities were getting queries from research bodies abroad which have entered into contractual relations with them. This was embarrassing for them and, therefore, the court should clarify that there was no change in their status.
K Parasaran, speaking for some southern universities, said that the committee had given less than 10 minutes for the universities to explain their infrastructure facilities during the inspection. “While we are derecognising our own universities, the government is inviting foreign universities to this country. The Supreme Court has reiterated in several judgments that education is not for making money. Are the foreign universities coming here for money or for philanthropic purposes?” he wondered.
The court did not pass any order on the request of the universities that future admissions should not be stopped, because a decision would be taken well before that.
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