UGC notice to PEC for using ‘university’ as suffix

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 13

The University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a notice to the Punjab Engineering College (PEC) University of Technology, Sector 12, for using ‘university’ in suffix despite being just a deemed university.

Along with PEC, 122 other institutions across the country are issued notices.

It includes Lingaya’s University in Faridabad, Maharishi Markandeshwar University in Ambala, Manav Rachna International University in Faridabad, National Brain Research Centre in Gurgaon, National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Sonipat, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Patiala and Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology in Sangrur.

The UGC relied on the apex court judgment, dated November 3, by which engineering courses through distance education are banned. In the judgment, the court took exception to deemed universities using ‘university’ in suffix.

The para 51 of the judgment said, “It has come to our notice that many institutions which are conferred the status of Deemed to be Universities are using the word 'University' which in our view is opposed to the spirit of section 23 of the UGC Act. The UGC shall take appropriate steps to stop such practice.”

It further added in para 53 of judgment, "The UGC is further directed to take appropriate steps and implement Section 23 of the UGC Act and restrain Deemed to be Universities from using the word University within one month from today."

The section 23 of the UGC, 1956  says, “No institution, whether a corporate body or not, other than a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act shall be entitled to have the word 'University' associated with its name in any manner whatsoever."

The UGC says in its notice that all the Institutions Deemed to be Universities are regulated by the UGC ( Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2016. The clause 20 mentions that university suffix shouldn't be used but institutions may mention the words 'deemed to be university' within parenthesis.

UGC has given 15 days for compliance.

The notice even mentions, “In those cases, where the Government of India notification is with the word ‘University’, the Deemed to be University may submit a proposal with alternative name (without using the word 'University) to the UGC/Ministry of HRD so that necessary amendment can be made by the Ministry of HRD." '

Director PEC couldn’t be contacted for comments. The official sources in the PEC said that since now there is a blanket ban on use of the word ‘university’, so the institution will take up the matter with Chandigarh Administration to revert back to old name PEC (Deemed to be University).  

“We should honour the Supreme Court judgement and UGC notification to 123 deemed-to-be universities, including us, on this issue,” said PEC Director Manoj K Arora.

Fact file 

Along with the PEC, 122 other institutions across the country have been issued notices. It includes Lingaya’s University in Faridabad, Maharishi Markandeshwar University in Ambala, Manav Rachna International University in Faridabad, National Brain Research Centre in Gurgaon, National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Sonepat, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Patiala and Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology in Sangrur.