8 August :Whereas the Central Government is empowered under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956 to declare, on the advice of the UGC, an Institution of Higher Learning as a “Deemed-to-be-University”.
2. And whereas, a proposal was received from Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry seeking status of ‘deemed-to-be-university’, as A ‘De Novo’ Institution, under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, comprising the following institutions:
(i) Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Pondicherry,
(ii) Kasturba Gandhi Nursing College, Pondicherry
(iii) Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Science, Pondicherry, and
(iv) Bharathiyar College of Engineering & Technology, Karaikal, Pondicherry.
3. And whereas, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has examined the said proposal and vide its communications bearing No.6-50/2005 (CPP-I) dated the 2nd January, 2008 has recommended that Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute be awarded the status of ‘Deemed-to-be-University’ subject to receiving no objection certificate from its parent university. Later, the UGC vide its letter No.6-50/2005(CPP-I) Dated 08.02.2008 has partially modified its recommendations to the effect that the status recommended be awarded under De Novo category.
4. Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, the Central Government, on the advice of the UGC, hereby declare that Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry, comprising Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Pondicherry, shall be a “Deemed-to-be-University”, under ‘De Novo’ category, for the purposes of the aforesaid Act, provisionally for a period of five years with effect from the date the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute is disaffiliated from its affiliating university, viz., Pondicherry University, subject to a review at the end of each year by the UGC.;
5. The status conferred on Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall be confirmed after a period of five years only on the basis of the reviews to be conducted annually through an Expert Committee of the UGC as per para 4 above, and recommendations of the Commission thereof;
The declaration as made in para 4 above is also subject to fulfillment / compliance of the following further conditions:-
6. (i) The management of the Institute mentioned in para 4 above, i.e. Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute (MGMC&RI) Pondicherry, should legally vest with the Trust created for the purpose of obtaining status of ‘deemed-to-be-university’, i.e. Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth.
(ii) All the movable and immovable assets and properties of the MGMC&RI shall continue to vest with Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth in the interest of future of students, members of faculty, employees and for maintaining the standards of higher education.
(iii) There shall be no diversion of assets & funds of the Trust / ‘deemed-to-be-university’ institution without prior permission of the UGC.
(iv) The objectives of the Trust concerned / ‘deemed-to-be-university’ institution should confine to educational and related social and charitable activities. The Trust as well as the Institute concerned should not undertake or engage in any activities that are of commercial and profit making in nature.
(v) The declaration as made in para 4 of this notification shall not extend to cover the other teaching institutions that are run by the parent Society concerned and/or by the Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth. Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall open and run off-campus centre(s) and/or establish new departments / institution / college under its management only as per the norms and guidelines of the UGC prevailing on this subject. (vi) It is not permissible for Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth to affiliate any teaching institution / college.
(vii) The accounts of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall be open to inspection by the UGC.
(viii) The Trust concerned should submit a legal undertaking to cover the issues pertaining to earmarking of assets, non-diversion of assets without prior approval of the UGC and for providing powers/authority to the UGC to take control of assets, etc. of the ‘deemed-to-be-university’ institution concerned in the event of winding up of or dissolution of the said Institution.
(ix) The Trust concerned should continue to maintain the corpus fund as per the norms of the UGC. This fund should be irrevocable in nature and it cannot be liquidated or closed without prior consent of the UGC.
(x) Sri Balaji Vidypeeth shall continue to ensure that its MoA / Rules & Regulations are in line and in accordance with the model MoA/Rules prescribed by the UGC.
(xi) As and when necessary, the Trust concerned shall update or revise or modify its MoA / Rules with the approval of the UGC. Further, specific changes/amendments, if any, suggested by the Government of India or UGC shall also be carried out in the MoA/Rules with the approval of the UGC.
(xii) The Trust Deed / MoA & Rules / Regulations / Bye-laws of the Trust concerned should reflect the name of the teaching institution that forms part the deemed-to-be-university institution.
(xiii) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, as a deemed-to-be-university, shall offer only those academic courses that conform to the norms and standards prescribed by the relevant Statutory Bodies such as the UGC, AICTE, MCI, PCI, etc. The professional courses it offers should also have the approval of the respective Statutory Regulatory Councils.
(xiv) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, as a deemed-to-be-university, shall award degrees in respect of the approved academic courses / programmes of the MGMC&RI only to those students who are admitted to the said institute subsequent to the date of this notification.
(xv) As for the students who were already admitted to the MGMC&RI prior to the date of this notification, they shall continue to pursue their courses of study under enrolment and affiliation to the affiliating university concerned, viz., Pondicherry University, which shall conduct examinations for them and award degrees to them upon successful completion of the courses/programmes of study they are pursuing at the said college presently. This condition shall also cover those students who were admitted to the MGMC&RI subsequent to the academic session 2006-2007 and prior to the date of this notification, and these students shall also be awarded degrees by the Pondicherry University upon successful completion of the courses they are pursuing at MGMC&RI presently.
(xvi) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall not award any degrees that are not specified by the UGC. It shall also ensure that the nomenclatures of the degrees, etc. to be awarded by it are specified by the UGC under Section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956.
(xvii) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth / MGMC&RI should take immediate steps to start the proposed academic programmes in the emerging areas as also doctoral programmes and innovative courses. Appropriate steps should also be taken to strengthen/augment the research programmes/activities.
(xviii) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth / MGMC&RI shall start new academic courses only as per the norms prescribed by the UGC, AICTE, MCI, PCI and other Statutory Councils concerned, as the case may be.
(xix) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall take all the required steps to get all its academic courses/programmes rated for valid accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), National Board of Accreditation (NBA), etc., as the case may be, in terms of instructions issued by the UGC vide its circular No.F.6-1(7)/2006(CPP-I) dated the 12th March, 2007. Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall also adhere to Policy Guidelines, if any, devised and circulated by the MCI or PCI, as the case may, with respect to accreditation of medical or paramedical courses.
(xx) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall not conduct any distance education programmes without prior approval of the UGC and the Distance Education Council (DEC). The guidelines issued by both the DEC and the UGC from time to time in the matter of imparting education through distance mode shall have to be complied with by it.
(xxi) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall not start and run any study centre / extension centre / off-campus centre / off-shore campus without obtaining the requisite prior approval of the UGC/ DEC / Government of India, as the case may be.
(xxii) All the prescribed norms and procedures of the relevant Statutory Councils, such as UGC, AICTE, MCI, PCI, etc. and other authorities concerned in the matter of admission of students, intake capacity of students, starting of new courses/ programmes, renewal of approval to the courses, etc. will continue to be in force, and shall be adhered to by the Trust concerned and the MGMC&RI.
(xxiii) The Trust concerned and ‘deemed-to-be-university’ institution shall follow and abide by all the undertakings they have already submitted or are going to submit in future to the UGC in connection with and for the purpose of obtaining status under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. (xxiv) Suggestions and recommendations of the UGC’s Expert Committee should be complied with by Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth so as to rectify the deficiencies and to bring about the recommended improvement at MGMC&RI.
(xxv) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth / MGMC&RI shall abide by all the norms and guidelines as laid down by the UGC, AICTE and other Statutory Councils concerned from time to time, as are applicable to institutions notified as ‘Deemed-to-be-Universities’.
(xxvi) Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth shall not create an impression in the mind of the general public that it has been ‘established’ under a Central Act. In order to ensure this, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, in all its advertisements, public notices, communications, etc., shall distinctly mention under its nomenclature by inserting (within brackets) a line, which shall read: “Declared as Deemed-to-be-University’ under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956”.
7. Neither the Government of India nor the UGC shall provide any Plan or Non-Plan grant-in-aid to Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth any of its constituent units.