Grants to universities will now depend on their performance

Grants to universities will now depend on their performance

Mumbai: The state government will soon appoint a committee under governor K Sankaranarayanan to assess the performance of universities and colleges in Maharashtra. Grants to the universities and colleges will be released on the basis of performance indicators.
The indicators include maintaining an updated curriculum, the number of qualified and regular teachers on roll, whether the university or college is accredited or re-accredited and their audited accounts submitted to the accountant general, among others.
“Considering that key universities like Mumbai University are yet to renew their accreditation, such measures are required,” said an academician.
The decision was taken at a presentation on higher education made to the governor by higher education minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday.
Last year, the higher education department came down on universities and colleges, following concerns over deteriorating educational standards. In February this year, the department issued a warning to colleges asking them to fill up vacancies.
An academician said, “The state allows only 50% of the open (teaching) posts to be filled. How do they expect to fill up all posts with such policies?” He said the state must first give the basic survival grants and then check performance.
The governor has asked the government to create an appropriate policy framework to ensure that foreign universities coming to the state provide quality education to students.
Tope said the government is establishing a State Knowledge Commission. He said an expert bodies will be appointed to work on amendments to the Maharashtra Universities’ Act.

Source Link: http://www.dnaindia.com/academy/report_grants-to-universities-will-now-depend-on-their-performance_1368690