Jadavpur University, Jamia Hamdard Denied ‘Institution of Eminence’ Status By UGC, EEC – News18

The Department of Higher Education recently notified the Parliamentary Standing Committee that the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Empowered Experts Committee (EEC) have rejected to grant Jadavpur University, West Bengal, the Institution of Eminence (IoE) designation.

According to reports, the Department of Higher Education stated that frequent attempts at the level of the Ministry of Education have been made to grant the status of Institution of Eminence (IoE). It stated that the proposals submitted from four private colleges have been referred to the UGC for evaluation by the Empowered Experts Committee (EEC). “However, the term of the erstwhile EEC has already been completed on 18.02.2021 and a new EEC is required to be constituted,” the department said as per Career360.

Meanwhile, the EEC has advised that Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, not be accepted for IoE status for private universities. In addition, the draft agreements received from four private institutes include – Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore; Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore; JIO Institute; and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar have been forwarded to the Commission for submission to the EEC, according to the education department.

The Tamil Nadu government, on the other hand, has also withdrawn the proposal to grant IoE status to Anna University in Chennai.

Why is Jadavpur University still not an IoE member?

According to reports, Jadavpur University initially filed the application with a budget outlay of Rs 3,299 crore under the IoE scheme. Following this, the education ministry requested a financial commitment from the West Bengal government for their portion of the funding as “the scheme has a provision to fund up to Rs 1,000 crores of the proposed outlay only,” reports add. This clause ensures that funds are available in the event of a shortfall.

However, the state government reportedly did not agree, and the proposal was amended, first to Rs 1,015 crore and then again to Rs 606 crore, with 25 per cent of the sum to be earned by the institution at its level.

Considering the huge fall in financial outlay, the UGC and EEC advised that Jadavpur University not be considered for IoE status. In the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023, the university was rated fourth.

Why is IoE Status for Anna University pending?

Reports state that the Tamil Nadu government declined to make any financial commitment to the institution and told the Education Department that the state legislative assembly had approved legislation dividing the university into Anna Technological and Research Institution and Anna University.

A state government-appointed commission also suggested that “Anna University does not require IoE status” reports add. The state administration retracted its plan after considering the suggestion. The Education Department, on the other hand, has asked Tamil Nadu to reconsider its judgement, and a response is pending, reports claim.