Panel for overhauling varsity education in State

Shetty Committee recommends over 80 amendments to KSU Act

The committee, which revisited various provisions of the KSU Act-2000, had submitted its recommendations to the State government recently. (For summary of recommendations- see box).

As a step towards implementing the recommendations, the committee has drafted the Karnataka State Universities (amendment) Bill -2009, a copy of which is available with Deccan Herald.

For the first time ever, the Bill incorporates and defines its vision, mission and objective. The Bill states that the vision of state universities in Karnataka “shall be to become leading centres of higher education, research and extension comparable to the best in India and elsewhere”.

It also sets itself an agenda to facilitate the youth in “shaping their future and equipping them to benefit from the emerging knowledge revolution”.

The draft Bill will have to be cleared by the Law department and the State Cabinet before it is tabled before the Legislature. Higher Education Minister Aravind Limbavali stated in Mangalore on Tuesday that the committee report will be tabled in the Assembly during the next Legislature session.

The draft Bill which runs into 171 pages details the amendments required for various sections of the KSU Act - 2000, providing a deep insight into the recommendations made by the committee.

For instance, the Bill specifies the concept of its proposed “State Universities’ Tribunal”. A new insertion has been made under chapter 12 “University review commission and other bodies” to provide statutory powers for the tribunal.

The draft specifies that the tribunal, headed by a sitting or retired high court judge, will adjudicate disputes of students with regard to admission, examination and discipline. It will also adjudicate disputes or differences between teaching and non-teaching staff of the universities and the employees of affiliated colleges.

Grievance redressal
The Bill also has another new insertion in the form of setting up of grievance redressal mechanism with a view to bring greater efficiency, transparency and accountability in the functioning of universities.

It also has three schedules which provides specific provisions for running Kannada University in Hampi, Visvesvaraya Technological University and Karnataka State Open University.
DH News Service