After much deliberation, the final draft of the much talked about ‘Umbrella Act’ for all the universities of Uttarakhand is ready and is likely to be placed before the State cabinet anytime after the end of the model code of conduct enforced in the state in view of the parliamentary elections. 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.
When contacted by The Pioneer, the Secretary (in- charge), Higher and technical education, Ashok Kumar said that last touches are being given to the draft of the proposed act. He said that the new act would help in removing the inconsistencies which at present prevail in the governance of different universities. Kumar added that the objective of the act is to ensure better education and better teachers.
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.
The proposed act would cover all 22 private universities and the all government universities of the state and would replace the existing ‘Uttar Pradesh University Act 1073, which is followed by Uttarakhand ever since its creation in the year 2000.