University of Hyderabad introduces innovative measures for students

Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad (UoH), having achieved rank 4 in NIRF 2019, has launched an ambitious plan to leverage the category-I Graded Autonomy conferred by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in order to take the institution to the next level of academic excellence, while adhering to its core values of equity, social justice, and affordable higher education for the needy. It sees Graded Autonomy as an opportunity to emphasize and reinforce the University's commitment to public education.

The University has created a fund for Student Welfare, Academic and Research Grant (SWARG). SWARG, now approved by the Finance Committee and the Executive Council, is directed at augmenting the financial, infrastructural facilities for students so that the University's commitment to the ideals of the public institution remain unchanged. The University expect to increase, for example, support for students enrolled in the PhD programs, especially in cases where financial constraints may hinder their work. Conscious of the possible paucity of funding to the underprivileged students, SWARG is an attempt to ensure a smoother education life cycle in the public institution.

With this aim, in the recent Executive Council meeting it has been decided that an amount up to Rs. 10.00 lakhs per annum from the interest on corpus is earmarked for SWARG, enabling students' welfare measures as an interim arrangement till the accumulated corpus under SWARG reaches a certain level. Considering the representation of the Students Union the council also agreed to enhance of UoHSA from the existing Rs. 750 per month to Rs. 1,000- per month w.e.f. the current semester. This will support needy-cum-meritorious students in the pursuit of their goal of higher education in this prestigious university. The Revised guidelines for sanction of this assistance are also being issued.

The Council also approved guidelines for utilising Prof. Gurbaksh Singh Students' Aid Fund (GBSSAF) for the benefit of meritorious and needy students. Soon the contributions to GBSSAF will be eligible for tax exemptions.