In a relief for several premier institutions that had received notices for off-campus centres, the HRD ministry has accepted a UGC proposal which allows private (rpt) private deemed universities upto six campuses beyond approved geographical boundaries.
However, government run deemed Universities like the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, can expand much further as the restriction of having not more than six off-campuses does not apply to them.
Several leading institutions including the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBMI), Mumbai, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, Indian School of Mines Dhanbad, Banasthali University (Rajasthan), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research are learnt to have been issued notices by the UGC over over their off-campus centres.
In another key development, the ministry has also approved a UGC proposal laying the criteria for appointment of Vice Chancellors.
Now a candidate to be appointed a Vice Chancellor of a deemed University should have a minimum of ten years of experience as professor in University system or ten years of equivalent experience in a reputed research or academic organisation.
The details for composition of search and selection committees for selection have also been finalised.
"The Commission (UGC) had in a recent meeting approved these amendments in the UGC regulations for deemed institutions which have found concurrence of the ministry," a senior HRD ministry official said.
