UGC Guideline: AIMS, FAMPEI join EPSI & B-school Association to oppose

Reacting strongly over the recent UGC draft guidelines to regulate thousands of technical colleges including engineering and management schools in the country, Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) andFederation of Associations of Managements of Unaided Professional Educational Institutions in India (FAMPEI)have both objected to the rushed manner in which the University Grants Commission is trying to create a new regulatory framework.Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI), and the newly formed Indian Association of Autonomous Business School, had both objected to this move by UGC.

Talking to the MBAUniverse.com, AIMS chairperson Dr Apoorva Palkar said, Since the matter of PGDM autonomy is sub judice, and has significant long-term implications, we are surprised how UGC has issued the new draft guidelines without consulting with the key stakeholders. She also added that leading management bodies like AIMS should have been consulted by the UGC before issuing draft guidelines.

Talking about the negative impact of UGC guidelines on autonomous B-schools offeringPost Graduate Diploma in Business Management (PGDM), FAMPEI president Dr GPC Nayar said , Nearly 300 autonomous institutions are offering PG Diploma in Management approved by AICTE. Freedom from University regulations helps them improve their quality to considerable extent. Their sole strength is quality and excellence. Otherwise no student will go to them. Among the 50 best business schools in the country only one is a University programme (FMS, Delhi University). The rest are autonomous PG Diplomas in Management. In the absence of Annexures B and C we do not know the position of these programmes. The UGC may kindly clarify this matter also.

SC extends stay on AICTE notification on PGDM B-schools can use any of 5 tests
On December 3, University Grants Commission (UGC) had stirred the hornets nest by announcing new draft guidelines to regulate thousands of technical colleges including engineering and management schools in the country. UGC gave just 6 days to education institutions to come back with their objections. This move by UGC comes seven months after the Supreme Court Verdict that questioned the authority of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to regulate technical education. On April 25, 2013, the apex court had said that colleges affiliated to universities dont fall under the purview of AICTE. Though the HRD ministry had initially suggested promulgating an ordinance to restore the powers of AICTE, the move was put on the back burner due to the prevailing policy uncertainty.

The new guidelines suggest that UGC is likely to regulate the 3500+ MBA programs offered by Public Universities and their affiliating colleges.

On December 9, 2013 both Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI) and the newly formed Indian Association of Autonomous Business Schools objected to the rushed manner in which UGC is trying to create a new regulatory framework.

Handing over to MBA, MCA and engineering education to UGC will prove disastrous because our public universities lack capabilities and experience to regulate technical education. EPSI will request Mr Pallam Raju, Union Minister of HRD, to intervene in this matter, said Dr H Chaturvedi, Alternate President of EPSI, and Director of BIMTECH.

|Commenting on the rushed manner in which UGC wanted to carry out these changes, the Indian Association of Autonomous Business School said, Since most of the affected parties came to know about the notification only through the newspaper reports on 4th/ 5th of December, 2013 the time that we have got to respond to UGC is just 5 days (by 9th December).

MBAUniverse.com readers will remember that your portal was the first media platform to raise the concern about the rushed manner in which UGC is trying to create a new regulatory framework.Our story dated December 6categorically mentioned, It may be noted that the guidelines were published on UGC website a few days back on December 3. This short window of time to seek feedback is impractical and seen by experts as a move by UGC to hasten the process of adopting new guidelines for management and technical institutions.

The SC judgment onApril 25had virtually ended the AICTE control over the management programs. The 67-pages Supreme Court Judgment on April 25, 2013, a copy of which is with MBAUniverse.com, states, As per definition of technical education under Section 2(g) of the AICTE Act and non production of any material by the AICTE to show that MBA course is a technical education, we hold that MBA course is not a technical course within the definition of the AICTE Act and in so far as reasons assigned for MCA course being technical education, the same does not hold for MBA course. Therefore, for the reasons assigned while answering the points which are framed in so far as the MCA course is concerned, the approval from the AICTE is not required for obtaining permission and running MBA course by the appellant colleges.

MBAUniverse.com will continue to track this important development that will have a major impact on the Indian MBA education, particularly the 300 PGDM B-schools. Stay tuned.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on this important development.