Raipur, Feb 26: The Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha today passed, by voice vote the State Private Universities Act (Amendment) Bill, which provides for setting up of a regulatory commission and ensuring quality in higher education. Replying to a debate on the bill, education minister Vikram Usendi said the commission would comprise experts from various fields. It shall examine proposals for setting up private varsities and submit a report to the state government.
''The universities will have to provide facilities, such as building and laboratories, within a prescribed time limit failing which permission won't be granted for conducting the academic session,'' he explained.
The varsities concerned would have to obtain permission from institutions such as the University Grants Commission, All-India Council for Technical Education, Medical Council of India and Bar Council of India. ''Private varsities coming up in Chhattisgarh's scheduled areas will be exempt from certain preconditions,'' Usendi added.
Participating in the debate, BJP members said that the act, passed by the previous Congress regime, resulted in mushrooming of private universities. Most of them lacked basic facilities such as a building and teaching staff.
Welcoming the amendments, the BJP MLAs said they would help check commercialisation of education, besides ensuring quality.
Bureau Report