the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is expected to pilot a legislation enabling setting up of private universities in the upcoming budget session of the Goa legislative assembly scheduled to commence on February 4.
The bill - Goa Private Universities Bill 2020 - will allow and set rules for permissions to be granted to set up private varsities in the State.
Presently, the Goa University is the lone university in the State. There are around 334 private universities in 24 of the 29 States of India. Rajasthan tops the list with 51 private universities. There are no private universities in Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, nor in any of the Union territories of India including Jammu and Kashmir.
The higher education system in India includes both private and public universities. Public universities are supported by the Government of India and State governments, while private universities are mostly supported by various bodies and societies.
The self-financing universities receive no aid or grants from the state government and have the freedom to decide their curricula, course structures and fees.
According to educationists, the government alone cannot cater to the needs of students for professional courses so private universities are the need of the hour.
There are five proposals for private education institutes pending before the government which includes a medical college and a hotel management institute. The bill will have a provision to set up various guidelines to regulate these universities. The rules will be framed accordingly by the Directorate of Higher Education. The percentage of seats reserved for Goan students will be decided by these rules.
Universities in India are recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which draws its power from the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. In addition, 15 professional councils are established, controlling different aspects of accreditation and coordination.
