Two failed deemed universities got Rs 47 crore govt grants

Gurukul Kangri Viswavidyalaya, Haridwar, which offers courses like Jyotish and Yoga, and Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune, have been given grants under plan and non-plan heads by the University Grants Commission (UGC) since 2006-07, sources in the Commission said.

The two private deemed universities are among those found unworthy for the status by a government-appointed expert committee. The government has accepted the findings and submitted them to the Supreme Court.

While Gurukul Kangri Viswavidyalaya got Rs 43.72 crore, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth got Rs 3.02 crore in 2006-07, 07-08, 08-09 and 09-10 financial years.

The sources said these two deemed universities were given the deemed status about 40 years ago and the decision to give them grants was taken by the government.

Gurukul Kangri Viswavidyalaya in Haridwar offers under-graduate and post-graduate courses in areas of Jyotish, Yoga, Pharmacy and Management. The total strength of students in this university is 4027.

Gurukul Kangri Viswavidyalaya got Rs 42.59 crore as non-plan head and Rs 1.12 crore as plan grants during this period. This year, it got Rs 9.58 crore as non-plan grants.

Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth in Pune, which offers under-graduate and post-graduate courses social sciences, health sciences, engineering, fine arts, journalism, ayurveda, modern and professional skills, got Rs 3.02 crore as plan grants.

Over 5,000 students are pursuing studies in the regular programmes. It offers distance education courses under which 34,312 students have taken admission, the expert committee has found.

The HRD Ministry is undecided as to what should be done with regards to the grants given to these institutes.

"We are waiting for the Supreme Court's decision on the whole issue of deemed university. The priority is how to ensure that students don't face any problem," a senior ministry official said.

The matter will come before the Supreme Court on January 25.
The expert committee headed by P N Tandon has reviewed the functioning of 126 of the 130 deemed universities.

Nearly two lakh students are pursuing higher studies in these 44 institutions in 13 states which have been recommended for non-continuation of the deemed status.