UGC GUIDE-LINES ON ADMINISTRATIVE
 SUB-CENTRES FOR UNIVERSITIES
 HAVING LARGE NUMBER OF AFFILIATED
 COLLEGES
 

[1] With the rapid and unplanned rise in enrolment In the universities and colleges, there has been phenomenal increase in the volume and diversity of educational effort at various levels. This has administrative structure and machinery at the university, resulting in unnecessary and undesirable orientation towards uniformity and centralisation in the conduct of examinations and declaration of results at the cost of efficiency, speed, autonomy and initiative. The tasks and responsibilities of the universities and the essential dynamism of higher education requires suitable changes in the existing administrative and academic machinery in the universities. it is, therefore, considered highly desirable and necessary to introduce a measure of decentralisation for the sake of administrative convenience and effective management and supervision and to ensure the smooth functioning and proper growth of both the university departments and the affiliated colleges.

[2] For efficient supervision of undergraduate education and closer liaison with the colleges, administrative sub-centres may be set up for a unit of 40-60 arts, science, commerce and multi-disciplinary affiliated colleges, in the case of large universities. Such sub-centre should be responsible to look after more or less, equal number of students rather than the number of colleges. This will require some flexibility in the number of colleges under each sub-centre. All professional and special education, as also post graduate education and research will remain the responsibility of the universities.

[3] The administrative sub-centre will be responsible for all work connected with the affiliation, inspection and supervision of colleges, constitution of managing committee of the colleges. It will also be responsible for the entire planning, management and conduct of examinations right from the registration of students, setting of question papers, evaluation and declaration of results as welland even for issue of degree/ diploma/ certificates and migration certificates for the students in colleges under their administrative jurisdiction. Such an arrangement while achieving decentralisation and reduction in the administrative load of the university, will enable the colleges to have a quicker and closer interaction with a single

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administrative authority at a shorter distance, and a greater sense of participation in their own administration.

[4] On account of the more compact student population dealt with by each administrative sub-centre, it will be possible to respond specially to the student needs and problems and to carry out periodical inspection of colleges in time.

[5] Such an arrangement will be conducive to administrative convenience and efficiency. At the same time the colleges will not be delinked from the university in academic matters. The courses of study, syllabi, schemes of examination etc. will be subject to the final approval of the faculties set up by the university and the syndicate/executive council. This will ensure that proper academic standards are maintained and that the courses of study are kept continuously under review and modernised according to requirements.

[6] Each administrative sub-centres will be given sufficient administrative and financial autonomy and facilities for efficient functioning. Each centre will have its own administrative set-up, which may be headed by an Officer of the rank of Deputy Registrar with necessary supporting staff for its functioning.

[7] The setting up of an administrative sub-centre will essentially be a first step towards the ultimate objective of granting academic autonomy to such a centre within a period of three-years. Such a centre may, therefore, be set-up only after the University/State Government has agreed to according adequate academic autonomy to such a centre in the second phase of this reform.

[8] If the university has taken a decision to set up a sub-centre agreeing to grant it academic autonomy in the second phase, the University Grants Commission may provide an assistance of Rs.50,000 per annum, on 50:50 sharing basis, in the first phase for a. period of three-years. The UGC grant can be carried forward upto the end of the third year. On according academic autonomy to such a centre during the second phase, the UGC may provide further assistance, on the merit of each case.

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