No new self-financing courses in PPP mode in Odisha varsities

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor and Universities Chancellor Prof Ganeshi Lal has directed all the State Universities not to allow any new self-finance courses (SFCs) on public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

He expressed serious concern regarding the manner in which SFCs are currently being run in the State universities; specially the way SFCs tend to over-shadow the 'regular courses' of the universities concerned. "Prof Lal also desires that State universities should fully concentrate on running high-quality 'regular courses' to benefit students who normally hail from economically weaker households", Governor's Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra wrote in a letter to the Vice-Chancellors of all universities. The universities may consider running, to a limited extent, a few self- finance courses, if there is a need.

Prof Lal issued the direction while suggesting a series of measures for streamlining self-finance courses in State universities.

The student strength of all SFCs (direct as well as PPP mode) put together shall not exceed 20 per cent of the total student strength of all regular courses. For example, if a university has student strength of 600 a year in all regular courses taken together, it can run SFCs for maximum intake student strength of 120 a year.

If the current student strength of SFCs in any university is more than the ceiling mentioned above, the same must be brought down to the prescribed ceiling limit with effect from 2022-23 Academic Year by reducing the number of SFC seats and/or by discontinuing some not so well-performing SFCs. Every SFC, which is currently running, shall be critically reviewed by the university syndicate/board of management and a suitable decision should be taken by the syndicate, board of management by June 30, 2022 regarding continuance or discontinuance of the SFCS, as the case may be.

The SFCs, which will be discontinued will not have any fresh student admission from 2022-23. The SFCs will continue only for one more year or two, as the case may be, till passing out of the last batch of already admitted students. Subject to the ceiling of student strength, new SFCs can be started by universities as per need. However, all new SFCs must run in 'direct mode'.

New SFCs in 'PPP mode' shall not be permitted at all. (Direct mode means where a SFC is run by a university directly by itself without involvement of any private organisation. Public-private partnership (PPP) mode means where a SFC is run by a university through or in collaboration with a private organisation.) Admission of students into SFCs must be made through an open and merit-based selection process.