The draft of Umbrella Act for all universities of the state would soon be brought before the state cabinet. On Monday, final shape to the draft of the new act which would be overriding to all existing acts under which the universities of the state are being governed was given at a meeting of Vice Chancellors (VC).
The meeting was attended by Minster of state for higher education Dhan Singh Rawat and senior officials of higher education department were also present on the occasion. The state administration has also taken legal opinion on the act which would govern all private and state run universities as well as the medical colleges of Uttarakhand. At present different universities of the state are governed with their own acts. The proposed act would be overriding on all the existing acts under which the universities of the state are being governed.
The ‘Umbrella Act’ for all the universities of the state is the brain child of the minister of state for higher education Dhan Singh Rawat. The need for the act was felt as complaints against autocratic functioning of the private universities became rampant.
In many cases especially in private medical colleges, the fees were raised astronomically. The act while granting maximum autonomy to the private universities would at the same time give some control on their functioning to the Government.