All varsities told not to confer degree in violation of UGC Act

It said if a university wishes to award a degree other than the one specified by UGC, it would have to approach UGC for its approval six months prior to starting the degree programme with full justification for the course to be started.

‘It shall be mandatory for the universities to adhere to the approved nomenclature of degrees and ensure the observence of minimum standards of instruction before award of a degree,’ the notice said.

The notice comes at a time when UGC has asked DU to review the controversial Four-Year Undergraduate Programme.

Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA), which is opposing FYUP, promptly interpreted the notice as an endorsement of the fact that DU has violated the UGC Act in starting FYUP.

In a statement, DUTA said ‘it appreciates UGC?s candid acknowledgement of the fact that by not seeking its approval 6 months prior to the commencement of the programme, DU has violated the Section 22, Clause 3 of the UGC Act’.

The full Commission meeting of UGC here yesterday felt the programme was in violation of the national policy on education which follows the 10-plus 2-plus 3 pattern.

‘This university does enjoy autonomy but it has to obtain permission from the competent authority for the programme which in this case is the President (Visitor) itself,’ UGC officials who attended the meeting had said.