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(b) As the main problem faced by these institutes is the recog- nition of diplomas awarded by them, it was recommended that the Government of India in the Ministry of Education may select two or three of the existing Rural Institutes and these Institutes may be given powers to affiliate other existing institutes as constituent units. The Government of India may with the advice of the University Grants Commission consider deeming the selected institutes as universities under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act 1956.

(c) The existing Rural Institutes may be given the option to join either the proposed National Institutes to be deemed as univer- sities or the existing university in the neighbouring area. Similarly the Rural Institutes may, be given the option to secure recognition and affiliation for their technical education courses where such courses are held by the State Board of the Technical Education in consultation, if necessary, with the All India Council of Technical education and any other advisory bodies.

(d) The Committee further felt that during the Fourth Five Year Plan period, the existing Rural Institutes should be helped to consolidate their position and should have well-equipped laboratories and adequate facilities for library as well as well-qualified staff to enable them to function as effective centres of higher education in their specialized fields and that no new institution should be esta- blished unless there were compelling reasons to do so. And in each case it may be desirable to secure the advice of the University Grants Commission.

(e) It was expected that once the Rural Institutes selected to be deemed as Universities came into existence and the other institutes are affiliated to them, universities would accord necessary recognition to degrees and diplomas awarded by these Institutes and there would be normal inter-communication between the Rural Institutes and the Universities. This will enable the students of these Institutes to proceed further for research work and other higher university education courses in other universities where these facilities are available.

(f) The Committee appreciated the urgency of the matters men- tioned above and desired that the University Grants Commission should take immediate action in informing the Ministry of Education of the conclusions arrived at for necessary action.