HRD World-class Institute Plan: Ministry of Law Seeks Validity of Draft Provisions
According to the draft regulations, the expert panel which was once constituted by University Grants Commission (UGC) can award world class status independently of the higher education regulator.
Law Ministry objected HRD Ministry’s plan to set up 20 world class institutes. Mr. Ranjit Kumar, Solicitor General of India, mentioned that HRD Ministry does not have the powers to grant world class status to the institutes. According to the draft regulations, the expert panel which was once constituted by University Grants Commission (UGC) can award world class status independent of the higher education regulator.
The HRD Ministry had sent a proposal to Law Ministry in the month of July 2016 for setting up 20 world class institutes and sought for an opinion on their feasibility under current laws. The proposal sent by HRD Ministry was named as UGC (Declaration of Educational Institutions as World Class Institutes). However, the proposal made by HRD Ministry failed Law Ministry’s feasibility test.
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Ranjit Kumar also mentioned that there is no provision for the Commission to delegate its powers to another body. He questioned the committee’s unlimited power. He said that the empowered committee is not allowed to implement the regulations without keeping UGC in the loop.
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The Law Ministry has sent its comments to HRD Ministry, but the further course of action is not known right now.
HRD Minster, Prakash Javadekar earlier mentioned that the ministry is planning to establish 20 world class institutes where ten institutes come under government sectors and ten institutes under private sector. However, the efforts of HRD Ministry foiled with the latest comments made by Law Ministry.