HRD Ministry rejects claims of IB red-flagging institutes on IoE status

New Delhi [India], Jan 28 (ANI): Higher Education Secretary in the Ministry of Human Resource Development R Subrahmanyam on Monday rejected claims that the ministry was reluctant in according Institute of Eminence status (IoE) to several top private universities and institutions, which have been critical of the BJP government at the Centre.

Earlier some media reports claimed that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had sent some inputs in this regard in the form of a note to the HRD Ministry last month. However, when ANI enquired about the same with the HRD officials, they categorically denied having any such report.

Higher Education Secretary R Subrahmanyam told ANI that there is no such IB report on these institutions received by the Ministry.

"The matter will be examined by the UGC in its meeting on Tuesday purely based on merits," he said.

The meeting of UGC is likely to be attended by top HRD officials. The meeting will also consider the report of the EEC (Empowered Expert Committee).

EEC is headed by former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalswami.

The first sets of institutions were given the IoE tag last July. During that time a social media controversy erupted after HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar congratulated the Jio Institute, which is yet to be operational, on securing the 'IoE' status.

The Department of Higher Education, a branch of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, however, later clarified its stance on granting 'Institution of Eminence' (IoE) status to Reliance Foundation's Jio Institute in Maharashtra, which, as of then, only existed on paper.

It was stated that Jio Institute was granted the IoE status under the Greenfield category after being deemed eligible for the status by the concerned screening committee.