State Govt lays roadmap for formation of cluster varsities
| Date :21-Jun-2023 |
By Vikas Vaidya
The Government is preparing universities and colleges for adopting the cluster system. In this system, all government institutes will be under one umbrella. Like Bhabha University, the entire cluster of colleges and institutes will have one university. The Department of Higher and Technical Education recently released draft guidelines for establishing Cluster Universities in Maharashtra. A cluster university requires pooling resources of a minimum two and not more than 5 aided or unaided colleges under a single management, leveraging their academic, physical, and technical facilities. If there is a potential to include more than 5 colleges within the cluster university, the State Government may evaluate such applications on a case-to-case basis.
It will be done in a phase-wise manner. All colleges should share their laboratory, library facilities, and playgrounds. The guidelines have specified institutional requirements, according to which there will be a lead college under which the cluster would be formed. To qualfy for the lead position, a college must in existence for at least 20 years and having an enrolment of at least 2,000 students (all programmes taken together). All the participating colleges (including the lead college) must have an enrolment of at least 4,000 students (all programmes taken together). To establish a cluster university, it is essential to ensure a suitable physical proximity among the participating colleges involved. This proximity allows for sharing of physical and human resources, as well as enables seamless mobility for students and faculty members. Participating colleges should be located within a maximum radius of 25 km from the Lead college.
Exceptions may be considered for distances beyond this radius on a case-by-case basis if dedicated transportation facilities are available. All the participating colleges together must have a combined construction area of at least 15,000 square meters, the criteria mentioned in Government Resolution, dated September 15, 2017 as well as AICTE criteria about building construction and physical facilities, will have to be fulfilled. The guidelines have focussed on the academic standards. They include the Lead college must have a NAAC rating of 3.25 or an equivalent NBA score or 60% of programs accredited by the NBA. All the participating colleges must have a valid NAAC rating and/or a minimum 30% programs with valid NBA accreditation. They must have at least two functional research centres approved by the affiliating university and as per the prescribed UGC norms. Lead and participating colleges should demonstrate high academic performance in interdisciplinary teaching and research programs.
After the finalization of these guidelines, the Government, through a public notice, shall invite interested managements of colleges to apply for conversion into a cluster university. A committee shall be appointed by the Government to scrutinize the proposals received. The scrutiny may include physical visits to the participating colleges, as required. Eligible proposals shall be processed under the provisions of section 3(6) of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016. There is a provision of dissolution of the Cluster University. The Parent Body may dissolve the University, by giving notice with sufficient reasons to this effect to the University employees, and the students at the University and to the Government at least one year in advance. If it appears to the Government that the existing University has contravened any of the provisions of the Act or the rules, statutes, or ordinances made there under, or has contravened any of the directions issued by it under the Act or the Notification, or has ceased to carry out any of the undertakings, the situation of financial mismanagement or mal-administration has arisen in the proposed University, it may issue a notice requiring the proposed University to show cause within forty-five days as to why an order of its liquidation should not be made. After the dissolution, the lead college, and participating colleges of the cluster University may get affiliated to the parent University, with the prior permission of the State Government.