Govt colleges not brought under public universities yet
PM�s 2014 directive
not implemented
HARUN UR RASHID
The inclusion of government colleges under the public universities to reduce the burden on the National University has not seen any progress, as a committee formed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) is yet to submit its report in this connection.
A new six-member UGC committee, headed by UGC member Prof. Dr Mohammad Mohabbat Khan, had been asked to submit the report within 30 working days after it was formed on July 17 this year. It has been learnt that the previous committee, formed 10 months ago, was dissolved, as the committees members had expressed their inability to submit any report in this connection.
The present committee, too, has been unable to make any progress, although two months have passed. Sources said another meeting of the committee is scheduled to be held on November 15, when the final decision on the submission of the report to the commission will be taken. Sources said some of the committee members cannot give the necessary time to sit at its meetings, since they have busy schedules, including admission tests at the universities.
UGC sources said the members of the new committee include Dhaka University vice chancellor Prof. AAMS Arefin Siddique, Rajshahi University vice chancellor Prof. Dr Muhammad Mizanuddin, Chittagong University vice chancellor Prof. Anwarul Azim Arif and UGC secretary Md Khaled.
However, officials said the task of integrating government colleges under the supervision of the public universities is still in limbo, though nearly a year has passed since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a directive in this connection.
UGC chairman Prof. Abdul Mannan told The Independent, A committee has been formed in this regard, but still no final decision has been taken. The committee is working on various matters, as the public universities are overburdened with their own students. Besides, the question of massive expenditure would arise if the government colleges are included.
He, however, said, Its a political decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We are working on it. We hope we will be able to submit the report to the government very soon. The education ministry had asked the commission to provide recommendations about the integration of the government colleges under the public universities across the country.
Earlier, on December 8, 2014, the UGC formed an eight-member committee, headed by Prof. Dr Mohammad Mohabbat Khan, to bring government colleges under the supervision of public universities, but the committee could not provide any report in this connection. During her visit to the education ministry on August 31 last year, the PM issued a directive to bring the colleges having Honours and Masters degree courses under the affiliation of public universities in order to improve the quality of education and reduce session jam at the National University.
Following the directive, the first committee was formed during the tenure of the former UGC chairman, Dr AK Azad Chowdhury. The Prime Minister, on August 5 this year, again emphasised the need to bring the government colleges under the respective public universities when a four-member delegation, led by newly appointed UGC chairman Prof. Abdul Mannan, called on her at her office.
