A premier institute of higher education of south Odisha, the Khallikote (Autonomous) College, Brahmapur has failed to get its autonomous status renewed by the University Grant Commission (UGC).
Notably, the autonomous status granted to the heritage college by the UGC had already expired since May, 2013. Even though, one year has already elapsed, the UGC has not yet renewed the autonomous status which is quite shocking to intellectual circle here. In the meantime, a delegation team of the college had approached the UGC and discussed the issue with the top officials at Delhi. The college has written a letter to the UGC, justifying the autonomous status for the college, said college Principal Dr Ratnakar Gajendra.
On the other hand, sans the autonomous status by the UGC, now the college once again has gone under the academic and administrative fold of the Brahmapur University. It is apprehended that this would put the students in great deal of difficulties in getting their original certificates in the days ahead, sources said. However, the college authorities seem to be quite confident that the college will get back its autonomous status soon.
The Khallikote College was established in 1878 as a Government college. It got autonomous status in 1990 and prior to this, it was under the control of the Brahmapur University. Since the college received autonomous status from the UGC, it was conducting and managing all its examinations by itself without depending on the university. According to the guidelines of the UGC, the autonomouscolleges are made independent and free to design their own courses,conduct examinations and award certificates to the successful examinees.
The purpose of autonomy is to decentralise the power and expedite the examination process including timely holding of examinations and publication of results. Since the college was given autonomous status, it used to receive an aid/grant of Rs20 lakh every year from the UGC, which the college is going to lose, sources said. During the financial year 2013-14, the UGC grant was substantially been curtailed due to non-renewal of the autonomous status. The college has received the grant for the year 2013-14 in two phases i.e. Rs4.60 lakh in first phase and Rs10 lakh in second phase, respectively, which is less than the earlier grant. Moreover, the UGC did not specify the purpose of such grant released in two phases, sources said.
On May 10 last year, 20 days before the expiry of the autonomous status, though college authorities had written a letter to the Brahmapur University to expedite the process of the renewal of the autonomous status by the UGC, but the university authorities reportedly did not act in time. During discussion with the delegation team of the Khallikote College at Delhi, the UGC reportedly advised it to submit application and all correspondences pertaining to the renewal of autonomous status to the commission directly instead of routing through the university.
Accordingly, the college has reportedly written another letter directly to the UGC on April 30 last requesting to expedite the process of renewal. Some faculty members of the college have alleged that due to the sheer negligence of the university authorities, such unwarranted delay in renewal of autonomous status has taken place causing worry among the students, parents and the faculty.
If the status is not renewed, the college will not only be deprived of yearly grant from the UGC, but also lose the right to receive grants for all the projects and proposals submitted earlier by the college under the Rastriya Uchasikshya Abhijan, they said. Meanwhile, the NAAC recognition granted to the college has also expired, but the college and university authorities seem to have remained non-actor.