Autonomous colleges or institutions are distinct from traditional institutions as they have complete autonomy and independent authority over all aspects of their daily operations, including fees, regulations, and courses. They can design their own curriculum, develop admission policies, frame exams, conduct evaluations, and set fees.
Unlike state universities which are fully managed and funded by the government, autonomous institutes are not required to adhere to government-recommended curriculum and do not submit their scoresheets to a ‘board’ or other regulatory authority. This allows them to make judgments and employ departmental expertise at will. One of the many advantages of an autonomous college is its ability to make decisions that are best for both, the institution and its students. Autonomous colleges analyse the requirements of modern industry and prepare its students for a competitive environment while designing their curricula.
Highlighting the importance of autonomous colleges, the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s document on the XII Plan profile of higher education in India clearly states: “The only safe and better way to improve the quality of undergraduate education is to delink most of the colleges from the affiliating structure. Colleges with academic and operative freedom are doing better and have more credibility. The financial support to such colleges boosts the concept of autonomy.” The goal is to make 10 per cent of eligible colleges autonomous by the end of the XII Plan period, with the intention of increasing the number of autonomous colleges in order to promote the culture of autonomy.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 vision also includes moving towards faculty and institutional autonomy. A stage-wise mechanism for granting graded autonomy to colleges, through a transparent system of graded accreditation, will be established. Colleges will be encouraged, mentored, supported, and motivated to gradually meet the minimum standards for each accreditation level. It also mentions on governance of higher education institutions (HEIs) by highly qualified independent boards having academic and administrative autonomy.
Similarly, revised guidelines under the ‘University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023 mention various scope, objectives, and eligibility criteria for colleges to grant autonomy.
Need for Autonomy
When the number of colleges were limited, the affiliating system of colleges was designed, so that the university could effectively manage the working of the colleges, act as an examining body, and award degrees on their behalf. However, with the increasing number of colleges under a university, it becomes difficult for the university to attend to the various needs of the individual affiliated colleges. Further, under the affiliation system, the individual colleges do not have the freedom to modernise their curricula or make them locally relevant. The rules of the university and its common system, which regulate all colleges equally, regardless of their unique locations, strengths, and limitations, have been having an impact on how each college develops academically.
Under the university, colleges with the potential of offering programmes of higher standards do not have the freedom to do so.
The 1964–66 Education Commission noted that one of the most important conditions for the growth of our nation’s intellectual climate is the use of academic freedom by educators. It is challenging to attain excellence in our higher education system until such an atmosphere exists. It is essential that students, instructors, and management share a significant amount of responsibility as co-partners in improving the calibre of higher education. Therefore, college autonomy was suggested by the Education Commission (1964–66), which is essentially the means of encouraging academic success.
Objectives of the Autonomous Colleges
On grating autonomy to colleges, various objectives will be achieved, and colleges will have freedom in
- determination and prescription of their own courses of study and syllabuses, and restructuring and redesigning the courses to suit local needs, making it skill- oriented, and in consonance with the job requirements;
- prescription of rules admission in consonance with the reservation policy of the state government/national policy;
- promotion of research in relevant fields;
- evolution of methods of assessment of students’ performances, the conduct of examinations and notification of results;
- usage of modern tools of educational technology for achieving higher standards and greater creativity; and
- promotion of healthy practices such as community service, extension activities, projects for the benefit of the society at large, neighbourhood programmes, etc.
Scope and Eligibility Criteria for Autonomy
As per revised guidelines for autonomous colleges under University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2023, the eligibility criteria for autonomous college include:
- All affiliated or constituent colleges of any disciplines, whether government-supported, partially aided, unaided, or self-financing, are eligible as long as they fall under the purview of the UGC Act, Section 2(f). (Clause 6.1)
- The college should have a minimum of 10 years of existence. (Clause 6.2)
- The college must be accredited either by the National Assessment Accreditation Council (NAAC); or by National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for at least three programme(s); or a corresponding accreditation grade/score from a UGC-empanelled accreditation agency. (Clause 6.3)
The UGC can exempt a college from Clauses 6.2 and 6.3 of these regulations if it provides programmes in any of the focus areas such as unique disciplines like special education, Indian knowledge system, yoga, and defence studies. Further, if the college is addressing the strategic needs of the country; is engaged in the preservation of Indian cultural heritage; preservation of the environment; dedicated to skill development, sports, languages, or any other disciplines as determined by the commission.
Role of Parent University and State Government
The parent university would assist the autonomous college in developing and defining its curricula, improving its method of delivery and establishing a framework for student assessment and examination. With the ultimate goal of transforming the college into a College of Eminence, the parent university and the autonomous college would have a partnership that would be beneficial to the growth of the college.
The parent university would encourage the colleges of good standing under their ambit to apply for autonomous status, under this scheme. It would promote academic freedom for autonomous colleges through introduction of innovative academic programmes and introduction of new courses, according to the standards provided by the UGC. The parent university would allow the autonomous colleges issue their own provisional, migration and other certificates, further ensuring that the degree/diploma certificates issued indicate the name of the college. It would further nominate eminent academicians of the university to serve in various committees of the autonomous colleges for the improvements of the functioning of the college. Altogether, the parent university would support the autonomous colleges in every way possible to attain eminence.
The state government, in its part, would nominate an academician of repute as its nominee in the UGC Expert Committee at the time of induction and extension of autonomous status to a college. The state government would nominate eminent academician on the governing board and other bodies of the government colleges, granted autonomous status.
The college would be given institutional autonomy, which would extend to all the courses offered at all the levels. The courses that the institution introduces after obtaining autonomy would naturally fall under its jurisdiction. Within 30 days of receiving the letter of approval from the UGC, the parent institution or university would notify the college that it would be granted autonomous status. If any amendments are to be made in the rules and regulations, the parent university may do it, accordingly.
Procedure for Granting Autonomous Status
The eligible colleges can apply for autonomy within a prescribed format at any time during the year. They must submit a college development plan and proposal for autonomy, which must be sent to the parent/affiliating university, which can forward the proposal to the UGC within 30 days. If the university rejects the proposal, the decision is communicated to the college and the commission through a ‘Speaking Order’. If the university fails to respond within 30 days, it is assumed that the university has no objection to the proposal being processed by the UGC for autonomous status. The college must forward an advance copy of the proposal to the commission, indicating the date of receipt by the parent university.
The university and state government are required to provide eminent academicians within 30 days to join the UGC Expert Committee for an on-site visit to the college, if necessary. If the university and state government fail to provide nominees, the UGC may proceed with the on-spot visit and make a decision on the college’s proposal.
If the college is found eligible as per the guidelines (Clause 6), the chairman of the UGC will appoint an expert committee consisting of (i) three eminent academicians, one of whom will be the chairperson, (ii) one academician nominee of the parent/affiliating university, and (iii) one nominee from the state government. Members will not be below the rank of professor /principal.
The chairman of the UGC may form a standing committee consisting of 3–4 members to review the expert committee’s reports on conferring or extending autonomous status to colleges before presenting recommendations to the UGC. The college will receive an approval/regret letter once the recommendations of the standing committee are approved by the commission. Fresh autonomous status shall be granted for a period of ten years, after approval by the commission. If the proposal of a college for the conferment of autonomous status is rejected for any reason, the college is eligible to reapply, but not before one year from the date of rejection of its earlier proposal.
State of Affairs of Autonomous Colleges in India
Despite all these guidelines laid by the Education Commission and the UGC, academic autonomy in India has been under threat. For many years, the UGC has been advocating for autonomy. However, the road to autonomy has been a difficult one. Presently, there are more than 45,000 colleges across India; however, only about 995 are autonomous.
Autonomy has not been uniformly spread across the country. States like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, and Goa have the least number of autonomous colleges. States like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka have a large number of autonomous colleges.
Even though it has been proved that academic autonomy has a great impact on performance in higher education, it still truly remains uncommon. Despite the autonomy listed by the Education Commission and the UGC, in reality, this does not happen.
Colleges across India are reluctant to become autonomous because of a variety of reasons, ranging from political meddling and universities unwilling to relinquish their authority to a simple lack of ambition and confidence in being independent. This is the case despite UGC being continuously urging the state governments to support colleges to become autonomous.
Certain universities restrict the freedom given by the UGC to autonomous colleges to design their own syllabus, introduction of new courses, develop innovative methods of assessment of students, etc., as per the provisions of the regulations. Colleges are asked by the universities to sign a MOU agreement which has terms and conditions that go against the provisions of the UGC regulations.
For instance, in Kerala, universities dissuade affiliated colleges from becoming autonomous because they do not want a high performing college to move out of their ambit. Due to their restricted flexibility, autonomous colleges are not allowed to add new courses or alter the present curriculum by more than 20 per cent. Small errors like misspelt names in result sheets lead to unfair penalties for autonomous colleges.
In the state of Kerala, many colleges who have opted for autonomous status and have fulfilled all the instructions by the UGC have not been given the approval to start new programmes. Many autonomous colleges have filed cases in the Kerala high court for getting the approval for new programmes. However, despite the high court giving a verdict in favour of the colleges, the autonomous colleges are made to pay a huge amount for obtaining the approval of their new syllabus. For instance, for giving the approval, Mahatma Gandhi University charges Rs 57,890/- for UG programmes and Rs 1.2 lakh for PG programmes from autonomous colleges.
Amongst the tussle between the university and the autonomous colleges, the students are the sufferers. There are cases where colleges have started new courses adhering to the UGC regulations of 2018. The colleges have submitted all the necessary documents in 2022 for the induction of new programmes and have admitted the students for the programmes. However, they are still waiting for the affiliation from the university to recognise these programmes. If the university does not give its affiliation, then the students would not get their degree certificates after the completion of the courses.
These instances highlight the challenges colleges face while negotiating to get autonomy. Innovative courses with connections to business and sectors are imperative, given the gap between university education and the labour market. However, the unwillingness of the state-run universities to relinquish their jurisdictional powers make the process move at a very slow pace.
Obstructions that Hinder Autonomy
The university awards the degree certificates to the students, though the examinations are conducted by the autonomous colleges. The autonomous colleges publish the results on time and intimate the university regarding it. However, the university delays in issuing provisional and original degree certificates to the autonomous colleges citing minor mistakes and errors. The university imposes hefty fines to correct those mistakes done by the autonomous colleges, while a minimum charge is collected from the university-affiliated colleges in case of correction of any mistakes.
The faculty of an autonomous college is expected to attend the evaluation camps of the university and in case of failure, an explanation is sought. Autonomous college faculties are made to evaluate the papers of the affiliated college students too along with the evaluation of the autonomous college students.
Colleges that have applied for autonomy present their proposal for new courses to the university, according to the rules prescribed by the UGC. They present their proposal to the board of studies members which has a university nominee; then to the academic council, which has three university nominees; and to the governing body of the college which has a university nominee and a state government nominee. Even after completing all these formalities successfully, there would be reluctance from the university in approving the new courses due to various reasons. Thus, the autonomous college would not get chance to proceed with the new courses.
Further, universities charge higher fees from the autonomous colleges for the new courses that the college wishes to implement.
Conclusion
By addressing challenges and creating a supportive ecosystem, autonomous colleges can become hubs of innovation, excellence, and bring inclusivity in higher education. It requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including government bodies, universities, colleges, and regulatory agencies to address challenges.
Granting autonomy to colleges will promote innovation, enhance academic quality, and institutional excellence. It will allow colleges to tailor their curriculum to meet student and industry needs, drive knowledge frontiers, contribute to societal development, and foster a culture of accountability and responsibility.
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