Academics oppose 'graded autonomy' for universities

The University Grants Commission’s decision to grant graded autonomy to 60 institutions of higher education has invited criticism from various quarters with many teachers and academicians calling it merely "financial autonomy", while others have expressed concerns the move will make higher education more expensive as it will allow self-financed courses and a departure from public accountability, writes Sumi Sukanya Dutta for Express News Service.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) last week granted varying degrees of autonomy to 52 universities and eight colleges that will allow them to undertake many decisions on their own.

“It will be remembered as a black day in the history of higher education in India,” said Saikat Ghosh, a senior professor in Delhi University. He said that under pressure from the government, the UGC has announced the autonomy which has nothing to do with the freedom to teach and learn and engage with ideas, but it will give financial autonomy to administrations and management bodies of universities and colleges so that they can start self-financed courses and hike student fees at will.
Full report on the New Indian Express site