Education regulator seeks bio-data of private universities’ Vice-Chancellors

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 30

Taking cognisance of complaints that vice-chancellors (VCs) of some private universities are not meeting the required qualification and other conditions, the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HPPEIRC) has sought their bio-data to verify their eligibility.

“There are complaints that either the VCs are over-aged or are not fulfilling the qualification and experience criteria. The commission has asked the universities to furnish the details with documents,” Chairman, HPPEIRC, Maj Gen Atul Kaushik (retd) said.

If any irregularity is found, action would be initiated and trustees would be asked to appoint qualified and eligible persons, he added.

The education regulator has asked the managements to follow norms and point our deficiencies in faculty and infrastructure. “It has come to the notice that in some universities, the faculty is inexperienced or engaged for short duration, infrastructure is not eco-friendly, laboratories are outdated and don’’t have equipment,” he said.

Tightening noose around erring private universities, he pointed out that complaints regarding the irregularity in payment of salaries to the staff, exorbitant fees charged on one pretext or other from students and security not refunded or partially refunded were pouring in.

The commission has prepared a concept paper which has been forwarded to the Education Secretary after deliberations with the IT Department for the project, which envisages the collection of data in real-time frame, putting tab on corrupt practices through transparency and prompt grievance redressal. There are 17 private universities in Himachal.

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