The state government has appointed two committees for stricter “monitoring, supervision, inspection, and review” of private universities in order to ensure effective implementation of the Gujarat Private Universities Act 2009 and its rules.
Last month, the Gujarat Assembly passed a bill amending the Act to add 11 new private universities, bringing the total number of private universities in the state to 54.
The notification for the appointment of the committees issued first week of April states that the “state government has the power to form rules for any or all matters”.
The committees have been formed “for the effective implementation of The Gujarat Private Universities Act 2009 and the rules under the Act, for effective monitoring, review, inspection one high-level committee and one working committee was under consideration by the state government for some time”, the notification states.
The government has decided to appoint these committees after almost 13 years of the enactment of the Private Universities Act, even as the act itself has provisions for such control.
Further, Section 31 (2) of the Act, says, “The state government may… cause an assessment to be made in such manner as may be prescribed by such person or persons as it may deem fit.”
Ruling out the directives as a fallout of a demand by the opposition, Vaghani said, “These have been formed as per the existing Act which gives the power to the state government to form such committees and was long due. This decision is not at all due to Congress demand.”
This will separately supervise and inspect private universities to ensure they follow the Act and rules and that students receive the promised infrastructure, according to government guidelines.
The committee will also oversee the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, as well as ensure that private universities have established an anti-ragging cell and a sexual harassment committee.
The apex committee will receive the committee’s review report. In addition, this committee has the authority to issue directives to private universities in accordance with the Act and state government guidelines issued from time to time.