The Karnataka State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) has directed all universities to follow due procedure in awarding honorary doctorates.
Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande has instructed all vice-chancellors to ensure that only “deserving” candidates are awarded honorary doctorates. The KSHEC’s 11th General Council meeting on Monday decided to constitute a high power committee chaired by a former vice-chancellor or a retired judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court for monitoring and recommending eligible candidates for honorary doctorates. Honorary doctorates should not exceed more than three per year per university.
The KSHEC has asked universities to function within the jurisdiction of the State in line with the Supreme Court and UGC guidelines. The minister pointed out that the State could not have non-Karnataka universities setting up study centres here.
It was also decided that the State should eliminate fake PhDs and clamp down on individuals enjoying benefits from these fake doctoral degrees. All V-Cs have been asked to submit reports by August 31.
A decision was also taken to prepare guidelines for a rating system for all universities. The State government has also sought to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio and guidelines will be framed to increase the sanctioned intake from next year in all colleges that have been given ‘A’ grade by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC).
The higher education department has also proposed to recommend to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms to treat degrees in Women Studies on a par with other degrees. The meeting also decided to form a committee for uniform rules for internal assessment marks and another committee to look into the feasibility of including physical education in optional subjects in undergraduate curriculum.
