Understanding the Deemed Universities in India
All institutions for higher education in India, after a student has completed his schooling, come under the purview of the university. There are four main kinds of universities in India:
- Central universities
- State universities
- Deemed universities
- Private universities
There are different aspects to all these 4 types of universities. In this blog we will try and understand what a deemed university is and how it works.
What is a Deemed University?
A deemed university is an educational institution that is ‘deemed to be a university” by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 3 of the UGC Act of 1956. This Act states ‘…The Central Government may, on the advice of the Commission, declare, by notification in the Official Gazette, that any institution for higher education, shall be deemed to be University for the purposes of this Act, and on such a declaration being made, all the provisions of this Act shall apply to such institution as if it were a University within the meaning of clause (f) of section 2…’
In simple words, an education institution can achieve the status of ‘deemed to be university” when it it performs better on certain aspects like; Research, Publications etc. Such an institution is given the status of a deemed university because of the excellent quality of education and knowledge it offers its students. The status of deemed university is granted to an institution of higher learning or a group of institutions by the Ministry of Human Resource Development on a recommendation provided by the UGC.
How are Deemed University Different from Other Universities?
A deemed university is quite different from other universities. It operates under the purview of the guidelines laid down by the UGC, yes; but it has a degree of autonomy that other universities seldom have. The autonomy that a deemed university enjoys is across multiple aspects. We list the most important of these aspects below.
Autonomy in Course-ware Design
A deemed university has the autonomy to design its own courses and methods for imparting education to its students. This is a big benefit, because it means the deemed university is not bound by any of the guidelines that other state universities follow for designing courses. That gives it the ability to design courses that are path-breaking and radically different from other universities. It has the freedom to adopt the latest teaching methodologies and scale up on par with some of the top universities worldwide.
Administrative Autonomy
The autonomy that a deemed university enjoys is not limited just to course-ware development and teaching methodology. It can set its own rules and regulations and not follow the rules of any of the other universities.
Autonomy in Awarding Degrees
A deemed university can award its own degrees to its students. This is a great opportunity for a deemed university to increase its brand value among the student community and also the parents of these students across India.
Some More Facts about Deemed Universities
There are a few more facts about deemed universities that you should know. A deemed university must also have facilities to allow students to pursue a career in research. That is why you will find a number of deemed universities offering some of the best research facilities in the country; facilities that you will not get in many of the other universities, including state and private universities.
Deemed universities are also covered under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Anyone can ask for information about a deemed university under this act. A deemed university has to file information about its activities with the UGC. This is a requirement as per the rules laid down in Section 2 of the UGC (Return of Information by Universities) Rules of 1979.
Are Deemed Universities a Good Option for a Student?
Contrary to popular belief, deemed universities are very good educational options for students. They have, in many respects, the potential to be even better than the numerous state universities in each state.
Many of these deemed universities have excellent course-ware for their students. This is possible because of the autonomy they enjoy in designing courses considering changes in the science, technology and changing demands for skill in job market. A number of these deemed universities also come with hi-tech research facilities which provides aspiring students to continue to peruse specialization opportunities in niche areas
Of course, there is a flip side to all this as well. There are few deemed universities that may take advantage of the autonomy offered where the policies and processes set by these universities may not be keeping the best interests of the students. There has been a lot of buzz in the media in recent times about this, and the result has impacted all of the universities being looked negatively. It is important for you perform research and seeks advice while deciding to choose from deemed universities.
Some of the key considerations you need to pay attention to, while choosing deemed universities for higher education are – history , founders, if the curriculum offered are current and future proof, industry affiliations and infrastructure available etc.
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