 GENERAL APPROACH AND BASIC
 PRINCIPALS FOR A NEWER SYSTEM OF
 MANAGEMENT

[General Approach . Basic Principles .]

6.0 GENERAL APPROCH

In the words of Jawahar Lal Nehru,

"A University stands for humanism, for tolerance, for reason, for the adventure of ideas and for the search of truth. It stands for the onward march of the human race towards even higher objectives. if the Universities discharge their duties adequately, then it is well with the nation and the people".

Recent developments in socio-economic and socio cultural patterns on the Indian scene demand a radical change in the role and functions of Indian Universities. Universities are today looked upon as agents of social change, besides their traditional function of dissemination and generation of knowledge. The New Education Policy also envisages the system of Higher Education to be reoriented so as to become a powerful instrument of socio-economic, scientific and technical change in the country.

In a vast country like ours regional diversities, specialities and peculiarities have their own significance and these should not only be allowed to exist but need to be fostered without impinging upon national unity and integration. Each region thus has, from the educational point of view, its own characteristics, which need to be fused with the educational structure of the country. Just as the socioeconomic and cultural facets of each region differ in their nature, the natural endowments, industrial growth, development of managerial patterns, customs, traditions, the educational pattern all have certain special regional attributes.

If University education is to foster unity and national integration and at the same time ensure that regional specialities are not smothered, then the University System should be so evolved as to enable it to subserve the above function. The set up of the system should enable the universities to build up linkages with neighbourhood communities, extend their dimensions, and provide opportunities to meet the demand of increasing numbers. THE MANAGERIAL PATTERNS OF A UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. THOUGH BROADLY SIMILAR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. MUST HAVE ENOUGH

FLEXIBILITY SO AS TO ENABLE IT TO ADAPT ITSELF QUICKLY TOWARDS FULFILMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES AND NEEDS OF THE REGION IT SERVES AND CARRY OUT INNOVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS FOR THE FULFILMENT OF SUCH OBJECTIVES. LEGISLATIONS, THEREFORE, SHOULD HE SUCH, WHICH, WHILE LAYING DOWN THE BROAD PATTERN OF UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT LEAVE THE DETAILS TO BE FRAMED BY EACH UNIVERSITY THROUGH STATUTES AND ORDINANCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS PARTICULAR ROLES, OBJECTIVES AND FUNCTIONS.

Each University must evolve the details of its administrative and management system and structure in accordance with its objectives, and traditions.

In the larger universities where there is considerable diversification in academic programmes or where geographical spread is large, they should adopt the model of sub-centres of administration to ensure speed and efficiency in managing enrolment, examinations etc.

The recruitment of administrative personnel should be done with reference to educational administration and not general administration. the people with good academic qualifications combined with aptitude for administration should be recruited and treated on par with teaching staff, at different levels. Automatic promotion in the administrative style of the Governments is not desirable.

The nomenclature of non-teaching staff is not at all conducive to educational administration. Teachers or administrators in an educational system must be first and foremost educational Personnel, Therefore, the artificial categories of teaching and non-teching are highly undesirable. The administrative personnel should also be recruited directly through selection committees and should have similar type of academic orientation like teachers. Atleast Registrars, Deputy Registrars, etc., and officers dealing with Accounts, Examinations, Student Welfare etc. should have similar academic qualifications as teachers and they should be trained in inservice training programmes before they take up the job.

6.1 GUIDING FACTORS AND ASSUMPTIONS:

With the above general approach in view, we have made the following assumptions and followed the broad principles discussed below in making our recommendations:

1. University is a sub-system of the societal system and universities are:

(a) Centres for the pursuit of academic excellence seeking truth; and

[b] Centres of national development

2. Teaching, research and extension are the three basic activities of the Universities equal in status and importance.

3. Universities should promote national integration and constantly compaign against the forces of casteism, communalism, lingualism and regionalism.

4. The objectives, roles and functions of the Universities should be very clearly defined and incorporated in the acts of Universities.

5. University autonomy is an essential pre-requisite for ensuring high level of contribution and achievement of goals and objectives of the University.

6. The Universities must be insulated from internal and external pressures including those from bureaucratic, political and other groups.

7. THE MANAGEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITIES SHOULD BE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF PARTICIPATION, DECENTRALISATION, AUTONOMY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

8. The structures should always be capable of adapting themselves to new developments and new forces that may emerge from time to time.

9. Powers and authority at the level of the Vice- Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Deans, Heads of Departments etc., as also delegation of powers at different levels should be clearly defined.

10. FREEDOM TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE ETC., SHOULD BE GRANTED TO FACULTIES, SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENTS, INSTITUTES, COLLEGES AND NATIONAL FACILITIES ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES.

11. Universities should formulate their short-term and long-term plans keeping in view the regional and national priorities.

12 The relationship between Universities and Colleges; Universities and other research and academic institutions as also industry should be clearly defined.

13. The relationship between the University Grants 'Commission, the Central Government, the State Governments and the State Councils for Higher Eudcation and the Universities needs to be clearly defined.

14. Continuous training and orientation to the educational administrators from the Universities should be provided for .

The implementation of the above principles may necessitate the amendments of Acts, formulation if new Statutes, Ordinances etc.

6.1.1 AUTONOMY:

Autonomy of the universities broadly emphasizes the following

- Freedom to function to achieve academic excellence;

- Freedom to administer the institution through its own rules and regulations;

- Central/State Governments may exercise their influence as is obligatory on their part to ensure that the grants paid are utilised for the purpose they are given.

The importance of autonomy for a University has been aptly explained by the Committee of Model Act for Universities, the Education Commission of 1964-66 and the Committee on Governance of Universities and Colleges. The quintessence of these reports are:

The claim for autonomy is made by the universities not as a matter of privilege but on the ground that such an autonomy is a condition precedent if the universities are to discharge their duties and obligations effectively and efficiently as regards imparting and advancement of knowledge and also making their unique contribution to the life and development of the nation.

The autonomy pleaded for the University should, of course, percolate down to the various organs of the University system. The ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF MANAGEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM SHOULD BE THAT EVERY UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT BECOMES AUTONOMOUS AND EVERY COLLEGE IS ABLE TO EXERCISE MEANINGFUL AUTONOMY.

It has been observed in recent years that there has been a gradual erosion of such a status of the institutions of higher learning as illustrated below; 1. The States have come to apply more controls on autonomous functioning of universities;

2. A large number of university Acts (new or amended) have restricted academic independence rather than liberalized it;

3. The trend of Government's intervention has been in the direction of securing a kind of physical control of the university, in the appointment of its Vice- Chancellor, the functioning of the Court and Executive Council and the affiliation of colleges etc.

4. The States have assumed much more authority over the universities through legislation, with the result that it delimits and restricts the decision making authority of the universities.

5. Wide powers have been vested in the Chancellors who frequently exercise them without paying due regard to defined Prcocedures.

6. In some States, Ministers are inducted as Pro- Chancellors, Members of Syndicate/Court. The University bodies and authorities are some times packed with numerous State-nominated members.

7. In some States, such as, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Gujarat Jammu & Kashmir, Panjab, U.P. & West Bengal, service conditions particularly those of Vice- Chancellors, which include removal, suspension etc. are laid down by the Chancellors in consultation with the State Governments concerned;

8. Financial aid has become the most powerful instrument in the hands of the States to curtail the autonomy of the Universities.

9. In many States opening of new colleges or grant of affiliation to new colleges is in the hands of the State Governments though all enquiries for the grant of affiliation are made by the universities; and

10. Frequent decisions of the Courts in matters relating to university affairs, have given yet another blow to autonomy of the universities.

STATE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Autonomy of a university is inconceivable without a clear understanding of working relationship with the State. We do feel convinced for the need to provide an agency which would minimize the possibility of direct interference through the Governmental, political and other channels in the functioning of the Universities. Such an agency will also be useful for keeping constant vigilance on the functioning of the universities.

Towards this end, the rule of the State Councils of Higher Education as envisaged in the POA of 1986 is very pertinent and important. The UGC has suggested certain roles and functions for such Councils including the following:

i. To monitor the progress of implementation of development programmes;

ii. To advise the State Governments in determining the block maintenance grants and to lay down the basis for such grants;

iii. To examine the Statutes and Ordinances of various universities in the State [excluding Central Universities] and suggest modification wherever required;

iv. To advise the State Governments regarding the Statutes proposed by the universities in a State; and

V. To perform any other functions necessary for furtherance of higher education in the State.

SUCH COUNCILS BE SET UP WITHOUT ANY DELAY. Once these Councils are instituted in every State, it is hoped that autonomous functioning of the universities and colleges may improve.

FUNDS

Universities in India. are funded either by the Central or the State Governments and as such Central and State Governments have control in their functioning.

We are of the considered view that too much of control of finance by the Government is affecting the university administration and thereby the achivement of objectives of the Universities. THE VICE-CHANCELLORS MUST HAVE SOME FREEDFOM TO RE-ALLOCATE SOME OF THE FUNDS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. THE VICE-CHANCELLORS SHOULD ALSO HAVE FREEDOM TO CREATE NEW POSITIONS OR CHANGE THE LEVEL OF POSITIONS.

We are also of the view that the existing practice of providing a Block / Annual Maintenance Grants by the State /Central Government [UGC] should continue for meeting recurring items of expenditure including salary, maintenance and contingent expenditure. However, in order that the quantum of basic grants for a University be property determined it seems necessary that specific norms regarding it ought to be evolved which may be made obligatory for the State Government to adopt.

The Block Grant should be reviewed every three years. Inaddition there should be a regular increase of 10% of the non-salary componet every year. Increases in salary and allowances should however be automatically added to the Block Grant every year.

The State Government should also make a matching grain to the development expenditure provided by the UGC. When plan period is over, the recurring component of the plan allocation should be automatically added to the Block Grant.

An experiment be made to replace Block Grant by Endowment Funds, the interest / income from which should gradually replace the existing Block Grant. Detailed proposals in this regard have been made in Chapter 12.

Attempts should also be made to mobilise resources from trade and industry and development agencies for undertaking research which would be useful to these agencies.

Some leading universities in U.S.A. depend on their own resources and are free of control of Government. Such universities maintain themselves with fees charged from the students and funds received from private industries, corporations, individuals and trust's. One could give a trial to such a model in India. If such universities are set up/run by Public Trusts,donations etc may be exempted from the Payment of taxes on the same basis as donations for scientific research.

The Government in a modern welfare state is called upon to extend finanical support to all activities of social service. Government therefore should not appropriate a disproportionate authority to control and interfere in the University System. The Central and State Government should cultivate and promote an attitude of respecting the autonomy of Universities.

When Universities generate funds with their own efforts, either through donations or through rendering of research and consultancy services, it should not result in diminution of funds from Governmental sources. The Block Grants Should not be reduced if any other funds are generated. These funds should be available to the University for taking care of new programmes and improvements so that it does not have always to look to the Government for funds. The resources so generated would however, be Part of University funds for which it would be fully accountable as it is for funds granted by Governmental agencies.

While concluding, we emphasize that AUTONOMY MEANS THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT UNIVERSITIES ARE EXPECTED TO DO AND NOT WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO AND CERTAINLY NOT TO DO WHAT THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO DO. THE MERE ASSURANCE THAT AUTONOMY OF THE UNIVERSITIES SHOULD NOT BE INTERPERRED WITH OR TAKEN AWAY IS

IN ITSELF NOT SUFFICIENT. THE STATE MAY FIND THAT IT IS ITS DUTY TO INSIST THAT UNIVERSITIES ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR PROPER FUNCTIONING. STATE COUNCILS OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD BE THE INSTRUMENT OF LIAISON BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND GOVERNMENT.

6.1.2 PARTICIPATION