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JNAFAU franchise-type courses questioned
Doubts are being raised over the legality of several degrees and diploma courses being offered by private institutions by entering into a partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad (JNAFAU).
Hyderabad: Doubts are being raised over the legality of several degrees and diploma courses being offered by private institutions by entering into a partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad (JNAFAU).
According to sources in the State Higher Education Department (SHED), the issue had come up following a letter addressed by a former Professor of Osmania University Prof Krishna Reddy to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
In this letter, Krishna Reddy alleged that the JNAFAU had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 13 private educational institutions in a typical franchise model to offer courses on revenue sharing offering courses, both in technical and professional streams.
Krishna Reddy said that this had been done in violation of the allowing private institutions to offer courses which are under the purview of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Besides, offering courses in such a mode in association with the JNAFAU is also violative of the rules and regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Distance Education Council (DEC).
The AICTE had also issued a letter to the University asking it to explain the continuation of the courses. Following, this the Special Chief Secretary Higher Education Rajeev R Acharya had directed the JNAFAU to discontinue all kinds of MoU with immediate effect.
It was alleged that representatives of the private institutions met the Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari, Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) Chairman Prof T Papi Reddy, and the Special Chief Secretary Education to prevail upon them. The private institutions had proposed to change the nomenclature of the courses offered by them so that they would keep away from the purview of the AICTE.
However, the Special Chief Secretary had rejected the proposal to change the nomenclature from Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) to Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts). However, the TSCHE had taken up the issue with the State Chief Secretary, who in turn, with no concurrence from the Higher Education Department (HED), the General Administration Department had issued a GO giving the relief sought by the private educational institutions, Krishna Reddy alleged.
Arguing that this has set a wrong precedent to allow private educational institutions to offer courses in violation of the norms of AICTE, UGC, he asked the Chief Minister to take necessary action against the erring officials, including the Chief Secretary and the Chairman of the TSCHE. When contacted TSCHE Chairman Prof T Papi Reddy, however, said that only four-year courses come under the purview of the AICTE. Changes have been made to the existing courses into a three-year courses. The syllabus of the courses has also been changed. “There is no violation of norms involved in it,” he clarified.
