The University Grants Commission (UGC), higher education regulatory body, has recently issued regulations for IoE for deemed to be universities. A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that the State would be monitoring the universities to adopt the new amendments as per the UGC.

“Accordingly, now the universities in its regular campus should appoint more than 60 per cent permanent faculties from the current less than 50 per cent,” he said adding “the teacher-student ratio will be 1:10 respectively”.

Stating that now the universities will have the freedom to offer online courses as a part of its programme, he said the institutions could also offer courses under online mode for distance education without any approvals, following the minimum standards laid down by the Commission.

“Also, the institutions will be permitted to start new off-campus centre and off-shore campus, which would be having a teacher-student ratio of 1:20”.

Pointing out that both the off-campus centre and off-shore campus should have a minimum of 500 students on its roll under regular classroom model with one-third postgraduate research scholars, he said: “The built-up area of these campuses and centres should be 30 square metres per student.” The centres should also have a library, lecture hall, laboratories, hostels, faculty residences, health care and recreational facilities.” 

The official said all the permitted campus will have to follow similar admission criteria, curriculum, examination system and evaluation system. “All the information about these campuses will have to be disclosed on the website of the respective universities,” he said.

He said a State Empowered Expert Committee (SEEC) would be constituted which would give the universities the nod to start a campus after conducting a personal inspection to see whether the institutions have adopted all the norms to start courses for the students.

“There will be periodical inspection even after the start of the programme in both off-campus centre and off-shore campus,” he said adding “if any institution was found violating the norms, the permission will be immediately cancelled to start a fresh academic session.”