Pressure on TN varsities in implementing NEP

Chennai

Even after a high-level expert committee comprising academicians and authorities formed to advise the government on the thrust areas in the NEP was formed a couple of months ago, the Tamil Nadu government is yet to announce State’s stance officially for the implementation of the policy.

However, during the last two months, the UGC has sent several circulars directly to the universities and colleges by asking vice-chancellors and principals to implement the NEP through various programmes with the latest one was to undertake research projects and publications related to play integrated learning.

While the UGC had already warned the institutions in the State that funds will be frozen if the NEP activities were not implemented, a senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that the commission had already sent more than ten circulars to the institutions during a couple of months without the knowledge of the authorities.

“As many vice-chancellors of universities and principals of several colleges across the State have already complained with regard to UGC’s series of circulars forcing to implement NEP, the authorities here had initiated contact with the person concerned in the UGC,” he added.

Stating that the institutions were asked not to implement NEP activities without consulting the state authorities concerned, the official said that when the government will be releasing its stance on NEP, the issues will be solved.

However, a senior professor from Madurai Kamaraj University, seeking anonymity, said “apart from the circulars, we get calls from the UGC officials to know about the status of NEP related works.

“In addition, the commission also warned that funds will not be sanctioned, if the circulars were ignored”, he said adding “as the classes will be beginning for undergraduate and postgraduate final year students, we need funds from the UGC will be important to carry academic activities”.

He also pointed out that the UGC has all the powers to even derecognise the institutions if the management goes against the commission’s education-related orders.