Commission asks Governor, State Govt to decide on validity of degrees awarded by varsity
SHILLONG: The University Grants Commission has sought information from the Governor’s Secretariat and the State Government on the decision taken in case related to the CMJ University, as the UGC has been receiving lot of queries about the current status of the University and the validity of degrees awarded by it.
The UGC, in a recent statement posted in its website, said it had received complaints about the courses run by CMJ University outside its territorial jurisdiction.
On September 13 last, the Supreme Court in an order endorsed the stand of former Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary who had recommended dissolution of CMJ University and had asked the State Government to give its action plan within three months after providing enough opportunity to the University to present its views.
The State Government, however, sought additional time of four months from the Supreme Court before deciding to close down the University.
According to the UGC, the report of its Expert Committee on CMJ University was placed before the Commission at its 495th meeting held in October last. The Commission considered the report and approved the same.
The UGC also forwarded the copy of the inspection report to the Governor’s Secretariat and Chief Secretary with the request to take appropriate action against CMJ University as per provisions of the University Act or any other law as the Governor’s Secretariat/ State Government deems fit.
“The Governor’s Secretariat/ Meghalaya Government were also requested to take a decision on the validity of the degrees already awarded by CMJ University in the past keeping in view that only those degrees can be termed as valid for which courses were conducted by CMJ University in regular mode at its main campus at Shillong and that too with the prior approval of Statutory Council(s) concerned, wherever required,” the UGC said.
It was also informed that M.Phil/ Ph.D can be conducted by any University in regular mode at the main campus and as per the provisions contained in the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awards of M.Phil/ Ph.D Degree), Regulations, 2009.
The UGC constituted the Expert Committee to assess fulfillment of criteria in terms of programmes, faculty, infrastructural facilities and financial viability as laid down from time to time by the UGC and other concerned statutory bodies and also to look into the violations as reported by the Governor’s Secretariat and various complaints received by the UGC.
The UGC said it has been receiving complaints about the courses run by CMJ University outside its territorial jurisdiction and also in the off-campuses/study centres established by the University without the approval of the UGC and the State Government. Some of the complaints were about Ph.D programmes run by the University. These complaints were about back dated registration, no entrance examination and about not following UGC M.Phil/ Ph.D regulations.
The Governor of Meghalaya, in his capacity as Visitor, had initiated certain actions against CMJ University for irregularities committed by it. The Governor also recommended to the State Government for dissolution of the University under Section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009.
According to the UGC, the University was not even allowed to open any centre(s) even within the State of Meghalaya as per the provisions contained in the UGC (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003 without the approval of the Commission.
The University was allowed to conduct M.Phil/ Ph.D programmes in regular mode at its main campus at Shillong (Meghalaya) but only as per provisions contained in the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awards of M.Phil/ Ph.D Degree), Regulations, 2009.
The UGC said the CMJ University was not authorized open off campus enters or study centres beyond the territorial jurisdiction of Meghalaya as per the judgment of Supreme Court of India in the case of Prof. Yashpal versus the State of Chhattisgarh.
The UGC reiterated that CMJ University with the address at Modrina Mansion, Laitumkhrah, Shillong, was established vide Act No. 04 of 2009 (Notification No. LL(B)42/09/80 dated 20.07.2009) of the State Legislature of Meghalaya as a Private University and was empowered to award degrees as specified by the UGC under Section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956, at its main campus in regular mode with the approval of statutory bodies/councils, wherever required.