Govt thinking to tag �Special Universities� that have completed 100 years

Seeking to restore higher education institutions started by reformer-thinkers like Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore to their lost glory, the HRD ministry thinking on granting universities who have completed 100 years or more with a “Special Heritage” status. The tag will come with a one-time grant of up to Rs. 60 crore along with greater administrative and academic autonomy.

The government is concerned more about the quality of education as the numbers of colleges for higher education are increasing each year, but the level and quality of education is going down. The ministry believes that private players with commercial and profit-making goals have proliferated and government institutions have developed a sort of “systematic allergy” to promotion of excellence. The ministry believes that after giving the title of special heritage to universities that have been tested since pre-Independence era will have a chance to regain their academic glory and environment.

As per the proposed scheme, the ministry has created three categories for these universities: 150 years or more, those have completed 125 years but are less than 149 years and varsities that are between 100 and 124 years. The grant will be in accordance with their total year of existence, the older universities will receive higher grants. Accordingly, those institutions that have completed more than 150 years will receive Rs. 10 crore – Rs. 12 crore a year, category two will get between Rs. 8 crore to Rs. 10 crore per year, whereas those have completed 100 years will get Rs. 6 crore to Rs. 8 crore a year. The budget will be allocated for a period of five years.

Among the state universities which have completed 150 years such as Calcutta, Bombay, Madras and Calcutta Presidency. The Aligarh Muslim University and Allahabad University are both between 125 and 149 years old and will be considered while deemed universities such as the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Gurukul Kangri Viswavidyalya and Jamia Hamdard could also be considered.

Other criteria include institutions that were started with charitable and non-profit making aspirations or established with a national need in mind. Institutions started by epoch-making thinkers like Swami Vivekananda, Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Vidyasagar would also be included. As an exception those educational institutions that had started as trusts or colleges but graduated to universities will also be considered.