Let SC decide on deemed varsities: Centre

The Centre on Tuesday said it has accepted the recommendations of an expert committee which has found 44 deemed universities unfit for the status but left it to the Supreme Court for appropriate course of action against them.

"The government has accepted the findings of the expert committee formed to review the functioning of the deemed universities and submitted its findings to the Supreme Court which will decide the course of action to be taken," HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters.

He said no deemed university has been de-recognised so far.

"The Supreme Court will decide the course of action...we will take care of all the students (of the deemed universities). Not a single student will be adversely affected. Student of deemed universities will get a university degree," he said.

An expert committee headed by P N Tandon has reviewed the functioning of 126 of the 130 deemed universities. It has found 44 deemed universities unworthy for the status.

Asked whether the unfit 44 deemed universities would be reverted back to the status of college, he said, "I do not want to preempt what the Supreme Court will decide."

The matter will come before the Supreme Court on January 25.

WHAT KABIL SAYS
To assuage students thrown into uncertainty, the government has made it clear that not a single student of any failed deemed university would be affected and indicated scrapping of granting such status in future.

"Not a single child, not a single student will be adversely affected. Students of that university will get a university degree," Sibal said addressing the Social Editors Conference in New Delhi.

He was replying to a question as to what would happen to the future of the students of 44 deemed universities that have been recommended for being stripped of the status by an expert committee whose report has been accepted by the government.

Nearly two lakh students are pursuing higher studies in these 44 institutions in 13 states which have been recommended for non-continuation of the deemed status as neither on past performance nor on their promise for the future have the attributes to retain the deemed status.

"We are restructuring the higher education sector. Hopefully, the deemed university concept will go," he said.