The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to decide within two months the fate of those deemed universities which were blacklisted by an Expert Committee constituted by the Centre.
The matter hanged fire in the Supreme Court for over half-a-decade after an apex court bench directed the Centre to constitute an Expert Committee under Professor PN Tandon to study the state of deemed universities in the country. On an examination of 126 deemed universities, the Committee found 44 institutions to be on the wrong side of law and recommended their deemed tag to be withdrawn. On representation by the erring institutions, a Review Committee also headed by Tandon, reiterated its decision.
The bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Vikramajit Sen on Tuesday referred the two reports of the Tandon Committee to UGC directing it to accord proper hearing to all parties and arrive at an “independent” decision within two months. In doing so, the Court was aware that the advice of the UGC would not be binding on the Centre. But the Court observed that since UGC was the specialized body formed to set standards of education, it would be proper for the UGC to recommend if any of the deemed universities need to be de-tagged.
To ensure the UGC forms an independent decision, the Court clarified that it gave no stamp of approval to the Tandon reports and suggested that the procedure under UGC law be followed by issuing notice and according proper hearing to the institutions in question.