The University Grants Commission (UGC) has rejected an application by Pune-based Symbiosis University to set up an off-campus centre. In the Commission meeting held on September 22, the UGC reconsidered the Expert report on the Symbiosis University and decided “not to recommend the proposal of Symbiosis International (Deemed to be University) to set up an off-campus Centre at Mamidpally, District Mahabubnagar, Telengana”.
The university had earlier approached the Supreme Court challenging the UGC’s decision after being denied permission in July this year. The UGC had then denied permission to Symbiosis citing the union HRD ministry’s policy that restricts expansion of deemed varsities.
Only last week, the apex court had asked the UGC to re-look at Symbiosis University’s request. The court had also pulled up the HRD ministry for interfering with the functioning of the UGC. The UGC counsel had informed the court then that the final decision to deny permission for an off-campus to Symbiosis was taken after taking into account the views of the HRD ministry.
The UGC, however, stayed firm on its refusal to grant permission to Symbiosis for its off-campus. The minutes of the UGC meeting record that “the Commission reconsidered the matter in the light of the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and keeping in view the deficiencies pointed out in the UGC’s Expert Committee Report and the accreditation based on temporary injunction of the Hon’ble Court and not on the basis of re-accreditation by NAAC, as mandated in UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2010 resolved not to recommend the proposal of Symbiosis International University”.
In a related move, the Commission has, however, allowed Delhi based Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan – a Deemed to be University – to set up an off-campus centre at Agartala (Tripura) citing its high academic standing.
