On Friday, the Supreme Court said that deemed universities cannot provide engineering education through distance learning mode and with that it also suspended the degrees granted by the four 'deemed to be universities' between 2001 and 2005.
The bench also "restrained all deemed universities from carrying out courses in distance education from the 2018-19 academic session onwards, unless and until it is permissible to conduct such courses in distance education mode and specific permissions are granted by the concerned statutory/ regulatory authorities in respect of each of those courses, and unless the off-campus centers/ study centers are individually inspected and found adequate by the concerned statutory authorities."
The bench said "lack of effective oversight and regulatory mechanism for the ‘deemed to be universities" and stated ' the bench said it had “completely failed to remedy the situation… serious question has therefore arisen as to the manning of the UGC itself for its effective working."
The court also directed he UGC to take appropriate steps within one month to stop 'deemed to be universities' from using the word university and directed the center to from a three member committee of eminent persons which can "suggest a roadmap for strengthening and setting up of oversight and regulatory mechanism in the relevant field of higher education and allied issues within six months".
The committee can also suggest mechanism to regulate the 'deemed to be universities.'
Tags: Distance Learning
Engineering Through Distance Learning
Ugc
Aicte
