"it seems that in the
enthusiasm about distance learning a few years ago
universities were encouraged to start courses without
approvals. UGC and distance learning council / IGNOU
seem to have unclear / mixed-up regulatory roles. this
year universities were asked to apply for approvals
and several applications were rejected. MIB took over
and now UGC has recommended withdrawal of deemed
university status for non-compliance-of-guidelines or
some such bad-behaviour. 95 yr old Allahabad
university is among those affected."
UP Governor sacks four VCs for gross irregularities
Sunday, September 18 2005 19:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -
http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/09/18/1809vice-chancellors.html
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar has dismissed the
Vice-Chancellors of four universities of the state for 'gross
irregularities'.
The VCs of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur, Mahatma
Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University in Bareilly, Chandra Shekhar Azad
University of Agriculture and Technology in Kanpur and Sardar Ballabh Bhai
Patel University of Agriculture and Technology in Meerut have been "relieved
of their responsibilities with effect from September 17, 2005 for various
gross irregularities", a Raj Bhavan communique said here today (Sept 18,
2005).
While the Commissioners of Varanasi and Bareilly have been asked to take
charge of Purvanchal and Rohilkhand Universities, the senior most professors
would be heading the two agriculture universities during the interim period,
the communique of the Governor who is also the Chancellor of the
universities said.
There were intermediaries called "facilitators" who arranged the entire
transactions and were based in Delhi, Mumbai and Allahabad who coordinated
the illegal transactions between the universities and centres, it said.
The fees for the courses ranged between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000 per semester
and the funds were collected by the collaborators who retained 35 to 50 per
cent and the balance was shared by the distribution centres and the
universities.
The number of students affected was estimated at several thousands though
the "exact figure is not available", it said.
The VCs called this enterprise "distance education, which was a gross
misrepresentation as they were not authorised to open centres in states
other than the ones in which they were located, it said.
The communique said it was therefore a "clear case of misuse of their
position and authority for misleading hundreds of students all over the
country with degrees which were not worth the paper they were printed on".
In the agricultural universities, the illegalities were even more serious as
they were set up with the specific purpose of educating the rural people,
"particularly in agriculture, rural industry, undertaking field and
extension programmes".
On being approached by some of the collaborators challenging the order of
the Chancellor (Governor) to close down the centres, the Allahabad High
Court dismissed their petitions and Rohilkhand University acted in clear
defiance of the directions issued by the state government, it added.
The Governor had earlier dismissed the VC of Jhansi University and CCS
University in Meerut on charges of various financial and administrative
irregularities.
PTI
enthusiasm about distance learning a few years ago
universities were encouraged to start courses without
approvals. UGC and distance learning council / IGNOU
seem to have unclear / mixed-up regulatory roles. this
year universities were asked to apply for approvals
and several applications were rejected. MIB took over
and now UGC has recommended withdrawal of deemed
university status for non-compliance-of-guidelines or
some such bad-behaviour. 95 yr old Allahabad
university is among those affected."
UP Governor sacks four VCs for gross irregularities
Sunday, September 18 2005 19:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -
http://news.indiainfo.com/2005/09/18/1809vice-chancellors.html
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar has dismissed the
Vice-Chancellors of four universities of the state for 'gross
irregularities'.
The VCs of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur, Mahatma
Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University in Bareilly, Chandra Shekhar Azad
University of Agriculture and Technology in Kanpur and Sardar Ballabh Bhai
Patel University of Agriculture and Technology in Meerut have been "relieved
of their responsibilities with effect from September 17, 2005 for various
gross irregularities", a Raj Bhavan communique said here today (Sept 18,
2005).
While the Commissioners of Varanasi and Bareilly have been asked to take
charge of Purvanchal and Rohilkhand Universities, the senior most professors
would be heading the two agriculture universities during the interim period,
the communique of the Governor who is also the Chancellor of the
universities said.
There were intermediaries called "facilitators" who arranged the entire
transactions and were based in Delhi, Mumbai and Allahabad who coordinated
the illegal transactions between the universities and centres, it said.
The fees for the courses ranged between Rs 15,000 and Rs 30,000 per semester
and the funds were collected by the collaborators who retained 35 to 50 per
cent and the balance was shared by the distribution centres and the
universities.
The number of students affected was estimated at several thousands though
the "exact figure is not available", it said.
The VCs called this enterprise "distance education, which was a gross
misrepresentation as they were not authorised to open centres in states
other than the ones in which they were located, it said.
The communique said it was therefore a "clear case of misuse of their
position and authority for misleading hundreds of students all over the
country with degrees which were not worth the paper they were printed on".
In the agricultural universities, the illegalities were even more serious as
they were set up with the specific purpose of educating the rural people,
"particularly in agriculture, rural industry, undertaking field and
extension programmes".
On being approached by some of the collaborators challenging the order of
the Chancellor (Governor) to close down the centres, the Allahabad High
Court dismissed their petitions and Rohilkhand University acted in clear
defiance of the directions issued by the state government, it added.
The Governor had earlier dismissed the VC of Jhansi University and CCS
University in Meerut on charges of various financial and administrative
irregularities.
PTI