 NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION, 1986
 - NEED FOR NEWER MANAGEMENT IN
 HIGHER EDUCATION

[Challenge of Education 1985 . National Policy on Education 1986 . Programme of Action 1986. Appointment of Committee . Terms of Reference - Modalities of Work]

1.0 CHALLENGE OF EDUCATION

In the Document "Challenge of Education - A policy perspective' [1985] brought out by the then Ministry of Education in the Government of India., it has been stated that :

- there is a widespread feeling that the present stage of higher education is largely the result of the overt and covert interference by external agencies. Universities, it is argued, should be truly autonomous and accountable

- the structure of university management is characterised by a disequilibrium between the role and responsibilities of the Vice-Chancellor and other bodies concerned with the academic and managerial functions. There is a general feeling that radical changes are required in the present system of management which would reflect the de- facto relationships between various faculty members, decision making bodies and the Vice-Chancellor.

1.1 NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION - 1986

The National Policy on Education - 1986 states that 'there are moments in history when new direction has to be given to an age old process. That moment is today'. It further states that 'Higher Education provides people with an opportunity to reflect on the critical social, economic, Cultural, moral and spiritual issues facing humanity. It contributes to national development'.

It also adds that higher education has to become dynamic as never before.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE

With the National Policy and the Programme of Action in view, the University Grants Commission appointed a Committee in January 1987 under the Convenership of Professor A. Gnanam, Vice-Chancellor, Bharathidasan University, (now the Vice- Chancellor, University of Madras) with the following broad terms of reference:

i. To review the management patterns including the structure, roles and responsibilities of various university bodies in the light of the new demands on the university system to develop effective alternate models; and

ii. To set criteria for assessment of performance of educational institutions.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

        
              1.   *Professor A. Gnanam               Convener
              Vice-Chancellor
              Bharathidasan University
              Truchirapalli.
        
              2.    Professor C.N.R. Rao              Member
              Director
              Indian Institute of Science
              Bangalore.
        
              3.   Professor R.P.Bambah               Member
              Vice-Chancellor
              Panjab University
                       Chandigarh.
        
              4.    The Secretary                     Member
              Association of Indian Universities
              New Delhi.
        
              5.    Dr.D.P. Sinha                     Member
              Principal
              Administrative Staff College, of India
              Hyderabad
        
              6.    Professor R.S.Nigam               Member
              University of Delhi
              Delhi.
        
              7.    Professor P.K.Dongre              Member
              M.S.University of Baroda.
              Baroda.
        
              8. **Professor S.K.R.Bhandari           Member
              Former Vice-Chancellor
              A.P.S. University
                       Rewa.
        
                       9.  Professor Mitra G.Augustine              Member
              Principal
                       Madras Christian College
              Madras.
        
                       10. Shri R.C.P.Sinha                         Member
                       Registrar
              Banaras Hindu University
                       Varanasi.
        
              11.     Dr. M.L. Mehta                  Member -  Secretary
              Additional Secretary
              U.G.C.

* Presently Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras. ** Presently Management Consultant, based at Jaipur.

The Committee, while detailing modalities of its work, took note of the memorandum submitted by the Association of Indian Universities to the Prime Minister, in July 1986, in which they had suggested the enactment of a Central Legislation to protect the autonomy of universities.According to this memorandum, the Legislation should ensure, among others;

- Functional autonomy for the Chancellors and Vice- Chancellors,

- A uniform procedure for selection of Vice-Chancellors;

- The provision for a fixed tenure of the office of the Vice-Chancellor; and

- The deletion of provision for suspending Vice Chancellor from office.

A copy of the memorandum submitted by the Association is enclosed as Annexure 1.

The Government of India informed the UGC that the Prime Minister had desired that the UGC should hold a seminar to forge a consensus. It was further desired by the Ministry of Human Resource Development that the seminar to be held by the U.G.C. should evolve the consensus on the structure of organisation and patterns of management of universities on the basis of which fresh legislation could be framed.The UGC agreed to the suggestions of the Ministry.

The Committee decided that the modalities of its work may be on the following lines:

i. A few seminars as under may be organised where the participant should be Vice-Chancellors, Principals, Educationists and Teachers etc.,

                  
                 Regional Seminars                        Three
        
                 Seminar on involvement of Women          One

ii. Views be invited from:

-Vice-Chancellors, academics and selected educationists etc.

The Committee also decided that a few sub-groups be constituted as under for indepth studies of the different types of institutions in respect of issues under the consideration of the Committee.

                  
                 SUB-GROUP                                CONVENER
        
                  
                 Unitary universities and  deemed        Prof.P.K. Dongre 
                 to be university.  
                 
                 Affiliating universities               Prof. SKR Bhandari
        
                 National Research facilities, etc.    Dr. D.P. Sinha 
        
                 Colleges                               Prof.Mitra G.Augustine
          
                 Functional Autonomy of the Vice-       Secretary, Association
                 Chancellors.                           of Indian Universities

THE NAMES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SUB-GROUPS ARE GIVEN IN ANNEXURE 2

The Secretary, UGC, was requested to address a letter to all the Vice-Chancellors of the Indian Universities soliciting their views on issues under the terms of reference of the Committee. The replies received have been taken note of. Several Commissions / Committees in the 'past had made recommendations about University management. The committee made a detailed study-of the observations / recommendations made by these Commissions Committees including the following:-

- Education Commission (Dr.S.Radhakrishnan) 1948-49

- Model Act for Universities (Dr.D.S. Kothari) 1964

- Education Commission (Dr.D.S. Kothari) 1964-66

- Governance of Universities and Colleges (Dr. P.B.Gajendragadkar) 1971

- Committee on re-organisation of Calcutta. University(Ghani Committee) 1974

- Committee on Visva Bharati 1975

- New Models of University Administration (NIEPA)1985

- 'Committee to enquire into the working of Central Universities - 1982.

The Educational Consultants of India Ltd. (Ed.CIL)- a Government of India Undertaking made a study (1986) in this regard which was also perused by the Committee.

It was also decided that a detailed study of Acts of Indian Universities, deemed Universities, IITs, Agricultural Universities, Medical Institutes, Open Universities, etc. be also made with particular reference to the roles which the New Education Policy of 1986 expects the university system to discharge. Acts of the universities particularly those which were established after 1980, were studied critically with a view to identify the gaps existing in the management of the university system, which may act as limitations in responding to the challenges posed by the New Education Policy.

1.1.1 NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION [1986] - DEMANDS FROM THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

The NPE emphasises that "education is essentially for all. This is fundamental to our all round development - material and spiritual". It further adds that "education has an acculturating role. It refines sensitivities and perceptions that contribute to national cohesion, develops a scientific temper and independence of mind and spirit - thus furthering the goals of socialism, secularism and democracy enshrined in our constitution". It further states that ' education develops manpower for different levels of economy. It is also the substrata on which 'research and development flourish, being the ultimate guarantee of national self- reliance.'

1.2 PROGRAMME OF ACTION

Subsequent to the announcement of the National Policy, the Government of India formulated the Programme of Action which provided an indication of the nature of action which will be required to be taken in order to implement the directions of the Policy.

While referring to higher education, the Programme of Action emphasises that the courses offered by many universities have not been re-organised to meet the demands of the times. Their relevance and utility are constantly questioned. The credibility of the evaluation system is being eroded. It reiterates that the University systems have the freedom and responsibility to innovate in teaching and research. The emphasis on autonomy of colleges and departments, provision of means to interact across boundaries of institutions and funding agencies, better infrastructure, rationalised funding for research, integration of teaching, research and evaluation, all these reflect this major concern. It further goes on and states that "higher education should become dynamic as never before".

Strategies for achieving dynamism have also been suggested in the Programme of Action which include the following:

[A] REVIEW OF PRESENT PATTERNS & EVOLUTION OF NEW SYSTEMS:

- The management patterns including the structure, roles and responsibilities of various university bodies will be reviewed in the light of the new demands on the university system, with a view to promote the evolution of new, efficient and more effective management systems, so that they may become the basis of new legislations. it will have to be ensured that the working of the system is not undermined by political, bureaucratic and antisocial elements within or outside the educational system.

[B] DECENTRALISATION, AUTONOMY & ACCOUNTABILITY:

- Giving necessary authority to persons having administrative responsibility to enable them to discharge their responsibilities;

- Establishing the principle of accountability in relation to given objectives and norms;

- Decentralisation and the creation of a spirit of autonomy for educational institutions;

- Evolving a long term planning and management perspective of education and its integration with the country's developmental and manpower needs;

- Setting criteria for assessment of performance of educational institutions.

- Framing guidelines for and patterns of assistance including the extent of academic, administrative and financial freedom and the corresponding responsibilities devolving on the autonomous colleges, their management structure, including provisions for safeguarding the interests of teachers, etc.

[C] DEMOCRATISATION & INVOLVEMENT OF PEOPLE:

- Democratic and participatory functioning of educational institutions and university departments; Inducting more women in the planning and management of education; Giving pre- eminence to people's involvement, including association of nongovernmental agencies and voluntary efforts;

[D] CONSULTATIONS WITH TEACHERS, STUDENTS, NON- TEACHING STAFF REDRESSAL OF THEIR GRIEVANCES:

Teachers and students will be systematically consulted at various stages of planning and implementation; Universities and colleges will formulate codes of students' discipline through suitable Statutes ordinances or other appropriate ways; Grievances redressal machinery will be established so that grievances are promptly attended to.

(E] AUTHORITIES & ADMINISTRATORS OF THE UNIVERSITIES & COMPOSITION OF UNIVERSITY BODIES:

- To reorganise the Boards of studies in the universities to facilitate redesigning of courses and to promote inter- disciplinary programmes and inter-face with prospective employers; Promotion and development of autonomous departments within the universities;

[F] RESEARCH & EXTENSION;

- Institutions should have an appropriately high powered Board of Research and a Board of Extension; Research Committees should be set up at various levels in the institutions to promote inter-disciplinary research.

- Co-operative research facilities should be set up in the universities.

[G] LINKAGES WITH INDUSTRY, NATIONAL LABORATORIES AND OTHER ACADEMIC; INSTITUTIONS:

- To enlarge linkages with other agencies and users; National research facilities should be set up within the University system and proper autonomous management structure should be worked out for them; they should have close ties with National Laboratories and other agencies.

THE ABOVE MENTIONED ISSUES MADE IN NPE/POA WERE KEPT IN VIEW BY THE COMMITTEE WHILE MAKING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS. THE COMMITTEE HAD THE BENEFIT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH MANY EMINENT EDUCATIONISTS AND OTHERS

NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION, 1986 - NEED FOR NEWER MANAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION