The Supreme Court has allowed the Himachal Pradesh government to revive its commission to monitor 16 private universities and private institutes.
A division bench of Justice TS Thakur and Justice C Nagappan on Thursday suspended the Himachal Pradesh High Court judgment quashing the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions (Regulatory) Act of 2010.
The Himachal Pradesh CPM has hailed the decision of the Supreme Court of India of reverting the decision of the HP High Court quashing the HP Regulatory Commission Act. The SC has further revived the panel to monitor over 16 private universities and more than that the private educational institutes in the state.
The CPM has stated it has come as a big relief to the concerned citizens of the state who were desperately demanding a regulatory body over these institutions. The order has vindicated the consistent position taken by the party in the state demanding the strengthening of such regulatory bodies.
The party had been in the forefront against the non regulation of these bodies and had even indicted the then government for making the regulatory toothless. The party reiterates its demand of strengthening the regulatory body and making it more active. There are three major areas where the concern has to be greater, a. Admission process, b. Fee structure and c. Quality of teaching and faculty.
It is worthwhile to mention here that HC on Oct 19 last year set aside the act that empowered the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission, set up in 2010 under the act, to regulate the universities.
The CPM during that period too expressed its concern and shock at the judgment. The party has asked the government to broaden the horizons of this body and further strengthen it with adequate staff and powers.
