HPU 24th convocation in May

The executive council (EC) of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) today decided to hold the 24th convocation of the university in the first week of May. The Union Human Resource Development Minister will be invited. The date has not been finalised yet.
The meeting held under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof ADN Bajpai also approved the recommendation of the selection committee for the appointment of Anjana Thakur to the post of Assistant Professor, Sociology, in ICDEOL. The council decided to fill the vacancies. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof RS Chauhan, MLA Anirudh Singh, Vice-Chairman, HP Handloom and Handicraft Corporation, Chander Shekher and others.

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Workshop of Private Universities to be held on 22nd March

A Spokesman of Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission said here today that Commission would organize workshop on ‘Moving towards Accreditation Sharing Knowledge and Developing an Agenda for Action” on 22nd March, 2016 at Hotel Holiday Home, Shimla. The workshop will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

The objective of workshop is to share and exchange good practices relating to teaching learning processes and enhancing employability of the students, which various universities have initiated and adopted to improve the quality of education.

He said that workshop would be attended by Vice Chancellors of State Private Universities, representatives of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Bengaluru, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR) Chandigarh.

P-8 plan for effective functioning of Universities

An eight point plan for effective functioning of the Universities of the State has been formulated by Governor Kalyan Singh who is also the Chancellor of Universities of the State.

This plan includes all major activities of universities- 1.Pravesh  (Admission) 2 Padhai (Education) 3 Parisar (Campus) 4 Pariksha (Examination) 5 Parikshan (Checking) 6 Parinaam (Result) 7 Punarmulyankan (Re-evaluation) and 9 Padak ( Medals).

Effective review mechanism and solutions for present problems have been ensured in the plan. The plan has been formulated by Singh after detailed deliberations and study in order to improve the higher education system in the State.

The plan provides for strict compliance regarding following admission guidelines, similiarity in syllabus, ensuring attendance of teachers and students, healthy atmosphere in university campus by strictly dealing with issues like ragging, anti social elements, eve-teasing,  etc by encouraging educational, sports and cultural activities besides conduction of fair examinations by checking the menace of copying.

Governor has asked to ensure effective checking and re-evaluation procedure by maintaining quality and suggested centralised evaluation system besides reassessing honorarium for minimizing errors and maintenance of  secrecy in the whole procedure. He has also stressed upon improving the re-evaluation system by adopting a serious attitude.

Singh has also stressed upon regularly holding of convocations so that students could get their degrees in time without any delay.

Convocation of CSK Agriculture University Palampur held

Smt. Urmila Singh, Governor who is also the Chancellor of CSK H.P. Agriculture University, Palampur presided over the 12^th Convocation of the University today. Shri Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister was the Chief Guest on the occasion. The Governor and Chief Minister awarded Masters’ and Doctoral Degrees, Certificates of Honour and Gold Medals to 317 meritorious students present on the occasion out of the total 686 students.

In her presidential address, Smt. Urmila Singh urged the students to keep themselves updated with latest knowledge besides upgrading their skills in order to face all kinds of upcoming challenges effectively in their profession. She said that in order to excel in the field, they should be experts of their subjects. She said that students should be confident and strive to develop a responsible attitude towards their profession and society as well so that we could have responsible and good future citizens.

The Governor said that research was very vital for the growth of agriculture sector and efforts should be made to strengthen this area and intensive research should be conducted for developing new varieties of crops suitable to different climatic conditions besides new techniques helpful for farmers. She said that there was a vast scope for crop diversification and off-season vegetables in the State and the University had significantly contributed towards strengthening the socio-economic standards of the farming community.

Felicitating all the degree recipients on the occasion, Smt Singh urged them to serve the State and Country with dedication through the profession and field they choose to adopt in future. Youth were nation builders in real sense and they play an important role in building a strong and vibrant nation, she added.

She also released a monograph on high precision farming on the occasion.

Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh while speaking on the occasion said that there was a need to develop region specific vegetable varieties for optimum production with low input. Main focus should be on growing vegetable crops, which fetch high market price nationally and internationally.

He said that diversification of crops has been the top priority of our Government and as consequence of implementing policies we have been able to increase the area under vegetable crops including off-season vegetables to about 68000 hectares with a production of 13.56 lakh metric tonnes.  This has brought economic revolution in rural area, he added.

Shri Virbhadra Singh said the growth of vegetable production and horticultural crops of the State was above national average and the State was producing more food grains than its requirement due to improved technologies. The fast adoption of new technologies like polyhouse farming and organic agriculture has further multiplied visibility of the State at the national level, he said. A large number of farmers have come forward to adopt vegetable production and there was need to develop region specific vegetable varieties for optimum production with low input. Main focus should be on growing vegetable crops, which fetch high market price nationally and internationally suggested the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said that water harvesting was another priority area of the Government and this should be the focus area for the scientists. The government had accorded high priority to the holistic and sustainable development of rainfed areas through integrated watershed development approach.  The State had also come out with Water Policy as water would be the scarcest resource in the near future, he added.

He advised the scientists to accelerate their efforts for crop improvement, natural resource management, crop production, crop protection, post harvest technology, plant biotechnology and give impetus to strategic research with precision. 

He said about 70 per cent farm operations were being performed by women in the State and  the State had taken a lead by organizing them to self help groups besides linking them with the bank-credit. 

He said that the government had opened educational institutions up to far-flung areas so that children could be able to excel in all competitions and serve the Country. He expressed happiness that this University was the most peaceful in the State.

 “I am not against the students activities in the higher centres of learning provided that they adhere to discipline and not resort in mischiefs” he said. The Government would ensure that even the teachers carry out their responsibilities in a dignified manner and not indulge in politics and the Government would soon come out with a legislation to debar teachers to participate in politics.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated Rs. 86 Lakh Solid Waste Management project at Surad in GP Lohana in Palampur.

He also laid foundation stone of foreign registration office at Dharamshala to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.60 crore.

Earlier, Dr. K.K. Katoch, Vice Chancellor CSK University of Agriculture, welcomed and honoured the Governor and Chief Minister and detailed about the activities being undertaken by the University. He said that the concepts of ‘Earn while you learn’ and ‘Experimental learning’ and ‘Plant Clinics’ have been introduced in the course curricula of the undergraduate programmes. He thanked the Chief Minister for granting additional financial aid to the University

 Shri B.B.L. Butail, Speaker, HP Vidhan Sabha, Shri Sujan Singh Pathania  Agriculture Minister, Shri Sudhir Sharma, Urban Development and Housing Minister, Shri Jagjeevan Pal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Shri Yadvendra Goma, MLA, Shri Kewal Singh Pathania, Vice-Chairman Forest Corporation Sh Gokul Butail, Advisor IT to Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Ratan Gautam, Registrar of CSK University of Agriculture, Senior scientists,  Faculty members, staff and Students of the University were present on the occasion.

Court notice to UGC over private varsities

Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notice to the University Grants Commission (UGC), asking it about the steps it has initiated to implement regulations pertaining to establishment and operation of private universities in the state.

From the news item that has appeared in The Tribune, it transpires that the UGC is abdicating its authority bordering on non-performance and disregarding the violations committed by the private universities, a division bench of Chief Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh observed last week.
The court observed that "this is polluting the environment of quality education to be imparted by the universities".
The high court on October 19 set aside the State Private Educational Institutions (Regulatory) Act of 2010 that empowered a government regulatory commission to monitor universities.
The court also directed the state through the chief secretary and the principal secretary (education) to file its reply on the issue. It also sent a notice to registrars of all private universities to file their response pertaining to irregularities mentioned in the news item.

The UGC, the state and the universities have been told to file their respective replies by November 13.
It was mentioned in the news item that the UGC seemed to be unconcerned about enforcing its regulations pertaining to the establishment and operation of private universities and till date it had conducted inspections of only five universities.
After the judgment, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has made it clear that a regulatory body was required to maintain quality of education.
"We are considering filing an appeal against the high court judgment. We are taking legal opinion. A final decision in this regard will be taken only after that," he told reporters here.
The judgment to quash the State Private Educational Institutions (Regulatory) Act came on the petition of the Himachal Pradesh Private Universities Management Association, which was seeking setting aside of the act and quashing of notices issued to them.
The bench of Chief Justice Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh had declared the act unconstitutional on the ground that the state legislature was incompetent to enact such a law on a subject covered by the field occupied by Entry 66 of the Union List.
Entry 66 of the Union List stipulates that a teaching university will not come within the purview of the state legislation on account of the specific nature of determination of standards in institutions for higher education being in the Union List for which parliament alone is competent to legislate.
"Accordingly, we may have to declare the Act of 2010 ultra vires and void ab initio," they ruled.
Official sources told a news agency that the regulatory commission had played a crucial role in pointing out irregularities by the universities.
These were: enrolling students even before the institution came into existence; admitting students even without fulfilling minimum qualification; filling more than approved number of seats and registering research scholars to PhD courses without UGC approval.

Canadian University signs bilateral agreement in Shimla for academic and cultural exchange

The University of Himachal Pradesh initiated exchange programme with Canada with an aim to enhance academic, social and cultural co operation. Fraser Valley University Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Himachal Pradesh in Shimla on Saturday (November 02). Vice Chancellor of Himachal Pradesh University ADN Bajpai said the exchange programme would institutionalise the relationships between both the countries. Bajpai added that both the Universities would go for joint programmes and would also exchange the scientific researches during the programme. Vice Chancellor of Fraser Valley Canada Mark D. Evered said there is a strong feeling of connect for this region of the world.

University regulatory panel will have to go: High court

A government regulatory commission in Himachal Pradesh will have to go, the state high court ruled Saturday, quashing a legislative act and declaring ultra vires the orders that empowered the commission.
The regulatory authority was set up in 2010 to monitor private universities.
The judgment, with wide ramifications for higher education, came on the petition of the Himachal Pradesh Private Universities Management Association, which was seeking to set aside the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions (Regulatory Commission) Act, 2010, and to quash its notices issued to them.
A division bench of Chief Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh observed: "Accordingly, we may have to declare the Act of 2010 ultra vires and void ab initio."
The bench in its 40-page judgment said Section 17 of the act is a sweeping provision. It postulates that the provisions of the act or rules or orders made thereunder shall have effect, notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained "in any other law" for the time being in force.
"Ostensibly, this would mean that even if the provisions in the act of 2010 or rules or orders made thereunder were to be inconsistent with the law made by parliament, the state act or rules would prevail. This provision is completely opposed to the mandate of Article 254 (dealing with inconsistency between laws made by parliament and laws made by legislatures of states) of the Constitution," the court said.
Indeed, the Advocate General would submit that the expression "in any other law" may be understood as not overriding the provisions of the central legislation, but on matters which were covered by Entry 32 of the State List.
"However, from the analysis already done, we have no hesitation in taking the view that the state legislature was incompetent to enact law on the subject which was covered by the field occupied by Entry 66 of the Union List. Accordingly, we may have to declare the act of 2010 ultra vires and void ab initio."
The petitioner challenged that the state legislature has no legislative competence to enact the act as the field of coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education is reserved exclusively for parliament.
The state legislature, said the petition, has no power to prescribe offences and penalties for enforcing the standards laid down by the University Grants Commission and the All India Council for Technical Education and other central authorities; more so, when the central acts themselves have not prescribed for offences and penalties.
It said the exclusive power to provide for offences and penalties for non-compliance of directions issued by the central authorities in exercise of power under central enactments exclusively vests in parliament.
Further, the act empowered the regulatory commission, comprising a chairman and two members, to impose penalty on the universities ranging from Re.1 to Rs.1 crore without any legislative guidance, it said.
"There is no tangible reason why public universities should be kept away from the requirement of similar compliances," the court said.

Today's Screenshot

Virbhadra Singh giving away prizes to the students who fought SCA elections recently at the State level “Samman Samaroh” of NSUI in H.P. University, Shimla

RUSA will improve education standard: Chief Minister

Chief Minister Shri Virbhadra Singh said that semester system being introduced in the Colleges of Himachal Pradesh under Rashtriya Uchtar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA) aims at improving education standards. He said that semester system keeps students busy and update with the studies which is being followed the best colleges and universities throughout the world. 

Shri Virbhadra Singh while presiding over State level “Samman Samaroh” of National Students Union of India (NSUI) at H.P. University, Shimla here today said that State Congress led Governments in the State had always accorded top priority to the education. 

3233 seats filled up in Undergraduate Engineering Programmes of Private Universities

Based on the figures which have been received by the H.P. Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission from 14 of 16 Universities, admissions for the academic session 2013-14 in undergraduate Engineering Programmes (B. Tech.) of Private Universities in Himachal Pradesh have averaged 53%, which is 3233 seats against 3531 in the previous academic session (2012-13). Two universities viz., Manav Bharti University, Solan and IEC University Baddi have not submitted the desired information to the Commission so far, according to the Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission. 

SFI sweeps campus, NSUI takes districts

The Students Federation of India (SFI), the left-wing student body, swept all posts at the Himachal Pradesh University campus while the National Students Union of India (NSUI), an affiliate of the ruling Congress, improved its tally in the nearly 70 colleges in the districts in the Students Central Association (SCA) elections that were held on Saturday. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the BJP's student wing, retained its stranglehold in Hamirpur and Mandi districts. While the NSUI bagged 205 seats, the ABVP secured 163 while the SFI won in 20 seats.