Hyderabad: Education Department says helpless to act against Gurunanak, Sreenidhi

Hyderabad : Senior officials in the Education Department and Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) find themselves at the receiving end of the complaints regarding Gurunanak and Sreenidhi institutions.

Speaking to The Hans India, sources in the Education Department said the Telangana State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2018 is a comprehensive law to deal with the private universities in the state.

The Act takes care of several issues that are generally neglected in other states. For example, there is a specific provision in the Act which stipulates that an official not less than the rank of the Secretary of Education be a member of the Governing Body of the private university established under the Act. Besides, the Governing Body would hold its meetings thrice in a given academic year.

Further, Section 31 (1) says the government after consulting the Vice-Chancellor of the university can conduct an assessment of the university relating to "the standards of teaching, examination and research or any other matter relating to the University." It can appoint a person or persons to conduct such assessments in a manner prescribed which it deems fit. It gives power to make recommendations to the university to take corrective measures and university shall adopt such corrective measures and make efforts to ensure the compliance of the recommendations," the official said.

Another provision seeking compliance from the private universities incorporated in the Act was that when a university fails to act on the recommendations made within a reasonable time then the state government may give such directions as it may deem fit for such compliance. However, none of these provisions, the official said, can be invoked to take action against Gurunanak or any other university or such institution established under the Act because the Act itself has not come into force.

The state government at the highest level alone has to decide what action should be taken against these institutions which admitted students without getting university status. Secondly, the University Grants Commission (UGC) can act on any complaints from the students, parents or other stakeholders.

The last resort available to the students is to seek legal remedy. Yet, it is doubtful whether the students' admissions and the degrees awarded based on such admissions would be valid.