Only UGC can decide on autonomous status: Madras HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court held that the guidelines framed by Anna University for granting the autonomous status to the affiliated engineering colleges do not have the status of the statute and it was only the University Grants Commission (UGC) has the power to take a decision in allotting autonomous status to the institutions.

Justice R Suresh Kumar made these observations on disposing of petitions filed by two private engineering colleges. The colleges challenged the recent orders of Anna University rejecting the institutions’ applications for sanctioning the fresh autonomous status.

The university rejected the applications of the colleges on the ground that they did not meet the guidelines fixed by the University’s syndicate for the award of fresh autonomous status.

Senior Advocate G Masilamani, appearing for one of such petitioner colleges submitted that guidelines issued by Anna University having been considered was declared to be that, it does not have the status of the statute.

The senior counsel further pointed out an order of Madras HC in the case of Annapoorna Engineering College Versus University Grants Commission in September 2021 that in the matter of award of an extension of autonomous status guidelines formulated by the syndicate in the meeting held on November 09, 2018, does not have the status and consequently does not have the force of law.

Meanwhile, V Meenakshi Sundaram, Standing Counsel appearing for Anna University argued the rejection orders were not an independent process only based on the guidelines given by the university but also on the basis of the regulations of the UGC.

B Rabu Manohar, Standing Counsel appearing for the UGC, submitted that insofar as conferring the autonomous status to the college concerned, it is the power vested only with the UGC.

“There has been a regulation called, ‘Regulations 2018’ framed by the UGC, based on the Regulations alone, these kinds of applications are processed, ” the standing counsel noted.

Recording these submissions, the judge came to the conclusion that Anna University’s self-imposed guidelines cannot be the sole criterion to testify the infrastructure and instructional facilities of the institutions which apply for the autonomous status from the UGC.

“The impugned order of AU is set aside. As a sequel, there shall be a direction to the respondent UGC to consider the application submitted by the petitioner dated May 26 independently on its own merits and in accordance with law by conducting an inspection and pass orders thereon within a period of four weeks, ” Justice Suresh Kumar ordered.