To check the gross irregularities detected in admissions, the State Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission has amended the relevant rules for the private universities in state.
Regulatory Commission in its amended rules also dictates Private universities to provide reservation for various sections of society in accordance with the government policy. As per the amended rules, seats will be reserved for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes and handicapped students. In addition 25 per cent of seats will be reserved for bona fide Himachalis.
All the private universities will have to maintain the records of the entire process of selection of students, including the answer sheets of the entrance test conducted for admissions in respect of each student, and will have to produce such record whenever called upon to do so by the commission.
These institutions will strictly adhere to the duration and entry-level qualification for various courses as specified by the regulatory bodies concerned like the AICTE and would notify this requirement in advance on their website and prospectus.
For technical courses (graduate, postgraduate degree, diploma programmes in engineering and technology, pharmacy, architecture, HMCT, applied arts and crafts), management courses and professional courses like MCA, admissions will be conducted through national-level entrance examinations or merit of the entrance test conducted by the respective universities.
The duration of semesters (six months each) will be from July to December and January to June. The process of admissions will have to be completed latest by August 7 and for the subsequent semester by January 21. Regulatory Commission also enforced to ensure minimum 90 teaching days per semester as per UGC norms for these universities.
The fees, as approved by the state government, will be collected in two equal installments during the year at the commencement of each semester. Commission also ordered universities to publish fees, scholarships and concessions offered during the year on the website and notice board of the university.
State Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission has been established by the Govt. for the purpose of providing a regulatory mechanism in the state and for working as an interface between the state Govt and Central Regulatory Bodies for ensuring appropriate standards of admission, teaching, examination, research and protection of interest of student in the private educational institutions and to meet its goal, Commission has taken many step and even had enforced penalties on Universities, those found guilty.
