There will be no Deemed Universities in India

No student will be affected: Govt.

Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Tuesday sought to allay the anxiety of students enrolled in 44 deemed universities on the brink of being derecognized by promising that no student will be left in the lurch. The ministry’s task force has clearly delineated the roadmap for students in these institutions ensuring that no one suffers.

With that Kapil Sibal also hinted that in future their will be no Deemed Universities in India. The concept of deemed universities will be abolished in India, he added.

HRD ministry’s affidavit in the Supreme Court clearly states that even if the institutions lose deemed-university status, they remain colleges and will be affiliated to universities in their respective jurisdictions. In case of medical/dental colleges, they will seek affiliation from state medical universities.

"The concept of deemed universities from the country will go in the near future and this is part of the reform process. We are putting in place the required legislations," Sibal added. The country has nearly 100 deemed universities that function as stand-alone universities but don't give affiliation to other institutions.

The HRD ministry, which has said that 44 deemed universities will lose the tag, is confident that it has a foolproof case in the apex court. Sources said the 44 deemed universities should not hope that a clean chit by UGC’s review committee (separate from the HRD ministry’s panel) can help them challenge the recommendation seeking removal of ‘deemed’ status.

Sources said, “Their deemed status will be withdrawn because they were not teaching new areas of knowledge and were instead focusing on regular medical and engineering courses. Students of these institutions will also become part of state universities.”

“Hopefully, the deemed university concept will go”
— Kapil Sibal, HRD minister