Autonomous

1. What is autonomy?

Autonomy is a functional status given to the colleges, by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Affiliating University. It provides greater flexibility towards purely academic development for the upliftment of academic standards and excellence. In this, students would continue to get their final degree certificate from the affiliating university.

2. What is the need for autonomy?

• The affiliating system of colleges was originally designed when their number in a university was small. The system has now become unwieldy, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for a university to attend to the varied needs of individual colleges.

• The university's regulations and its common system, governing all colleges alike, irrespective of their characteristic strengths, weaknesses, and locations, have affected the academic development of individual colleges.

• Colleges that have the potential for offering programmes of a higher standard do not have the freedom to modernize their curricula or make them locally relevant or globally competent.
• The Education Commission (1964-66) recommended college autonomy, which, in essence, is the instrument for promoting academic excellence.

3. What are the objectives of autonomy as per the National Policy on Education? Or what kind of flexibility/freedom is available for autonomous college?

The new education policy (NEP) approved by the Cabinet, promotes the academic autonomy to the status and it is also targeting that the culture of the affiliating university needs to vanished till 2035.

An autonomous college will have the freedom to:

• Determine and prescribe its own courses of study and syllabus, restructure and redesign the courses to suit local needs, global industrial requirements, and the calibre of students at entry-level.
• Offer student-centric wide choice in courses, wide range of electives and freedom in the choice of courses which are of interdisciplinary nature.
• Periodical change in the syllabus as per changing needs in the global perspective.
• Prescribe rules for admission in consonance with the reservation policy of the state government;
• Evolve innovative methods of assessment of students’ performance, the conduct of examinations and notification of results;
• Use modern tools of educational technology to achieve higher standards and greater creativity; and
• Promote healthy practices such as community service, extension activities, projects for the benefit of society at large, neighbourhood programmes, etc.

4. Who provides autonomous status to colleges?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) – an autonomous body of the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India is entrusted with the responsibility of providing autonomous status after two stages of verification by the UGC itself and the affiliating University.

The parent University will confer the status of autonomy upon college, with the concurrence of the State Government and the University Grants Commission.

5. What is the difference between to be Deemed as University and an Autonomous College?

A to be Deemed as University is fully autonomous to the extent of awarding its own Degree. It is usually a Non-Affiliating version of a University and has similar responsibilities like any University.

Whereas, an Autonomous College enjoys Academic Autonomy alone. The University to which an autonomous college is affiliated will have checks on its autonomous college performance.

6. What is the benefit to the Students and Teachers of autonomous colleges?

An autonomous college carries a prestigious image for the students and the teachers. Autonomy reflects efforts for excellence in academic performances, the capability of self-governance and enhancement in the quality of education. Autonomy is actually earned out of institutions continued past efforts on academic performances, its capability of self-governance and the kind of quality education it offers.

Standardization of college examinations provides a convenient yardstick for employers to judge prospective employees.

Most important, in a competitive education market, each college has a reputation to protect—easy grades give a cheap reputation. Reputation is a more reliable tool than standardization to sustain the quality of education.

7. What is the eligibility for becoming autonomous?

All colleges recognized under section 2(f) of the UGC Act with sufficient academic and non-academic resources are eligible to apply for conferment of UGC autonomy.

Autonomous status covers certificate diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and M.Phil. Programmes offered in colleges.

NBA accreditation in the minimum of three courses with 675 marks out of 1000.

OR

NAAC “A” grade certification for the institution.

It may be noted, that as on date no engineering college of Rajasthan (including Govt. and Private) other than JIET is eligible to apply for Autonomous Status.

8. Who are the stake-holders to avail the benefits of autonomy?

The major stakeholders of an autonomous college are:

• Faculty
• Students
• Parent/Guardian
• Alumni
• Local community

9. Who grants the degree in an autonomous college?

The Parent University (i.e. Bikaner Technical University, Bikaner in our case) will award degree to the students evaluated and recommended by the autonomous college. The degree certificates will be in a common format devised by the University. The name of the college will be mentioned in the degree certificates.

Autonomous colleges that have completed three terms can confer the degree under their title, with the seal of the university.

10. What is the minimum period for autonomous status to a college?

Ten years is the minimum period for autonomous status.

11. How does the examination system function in an autonomous college?

Students’ performance is examined internally and externally. Continuous assessment and range of assessment options:

• Written Test (not more than one or two for each course as applicable)
• Term Paper
• Journal/Lecture/Library notes
• Seminar presentation
• Short Quizzes
• Assignments
• Extension Work
• An Open Book Test
• Mini Research Project by an individual student or a group of students
• Fieldwork / Visit reports

To ensure fairness and justice to students, various alternatives are adopted in the examination system.

12. What is the role of the office of Controller of Examination (CoE)?

The Exam Committee is responsible for the smooth conduction of the Semester examinations, submission of assignments, and additional examinations. All matters involving the conduct of examinations, spot valuations, tabulations, preparation of Grade Cards etc. fall within the Office of the Controller of Examinations' duties.

13. Who declares the result?

The CGPA grades that are tabulated by the Controller of Examination is reviewed by the moderation committee. Any deviation and discrepancies are deliberated and removed. The entire result is discussed in the Academic Programme Evaluation Committee (APEC) for its approval. The result is declared on the college notice boards as well as on the web site of the college. A copy is also sent to the University.

14. Can the college give a provisional degree certificate?

Since the examinations are conducted by COE of the College and the results are also declared by COE of the college, the college sends a list of successful candidates with their final Grades and Grade Point Averages including CGPA to the University. With the prior permission of the University, the college will be entitled to give the provisional certificate.

15. What are the Statutory Committees of an autonomous college?

The statutory committees are:

• Governing Board (GB)
• Academic Council (AC)
• Board of Studies (BOS)
• Finance committee (FC)

16. What are the non-statutory committees?

The non-Statutory Committees are

• Planning & Development committee
• Grievance Redressal Committee
• Anti-Ragging Committee
• Research and Development Committee
• Students Welfare Committee
• Prevention of Sexual harassment committee.
• Library Committee
• Sports Committee
• Cultural Committee
• Admission Committee
• Academic coordination committee
• Extra-Curricular Committee
• Academic Audit Committee
• Hostel & Canteen Committee
• Prevention of Caste Rights Committee

17. Can short term courses be offered by autonomous colleges beyond the curriculum (Industry Aligned Courses)?

Yes. The college can offer special need-based short term courses under the departments of the college for the benefit of the students, and outsiders can also enrol for them.

18. How can an autonomous College start new degree / Post Graduate courses?

An autonomous College is free to start a new degree or Post Graduate course with the approval of the Academic Council of the College and the concern statutory body. Such courses shall fulfil the minimum standards prescribed by the University / UGC in terms of the number of hours, curricular consent and standards. The college may rename the existing course after restructuring / redesigning it and the University should be duly informed of such proceedings so that it may award new degrees in place of the old.

The University has the right to review and scrutinize all new courses of an autonomous college and can modify them in consultation with UGC.

19. Who will check whether the academic standard is maintained/improved after Autonomy? How will it be checked?

There has to be a built-in mechanism in the autonomous college working for this purpose. An Internal Committee called Academic Programme Evaluation Committee (APEC) is a Non-Statutory body, will keep a watch on the academics and keep its reports and recommendations every year.

In addition to APEC, Senate, the highest academic body, also supervises the academic matters. The standards of question papers, the regularity of academic calendar, attendance of students, speed and transparency of result declaration and such other parameters are involved in this process.

20. What is the role of State Government towards assistance to Autonomous College?

The Government has to depute a nominee on time to the Governing body of college and other bodies wherever their nominees are to be included.