Pvt universities still in grip of irregularities
DOT Desk
Many private universities are still involved in irregularities and corruption, paying no heed to the directives of the president for restoring fair atmosphere in the highest seats of education, reports Daily Sun. President Abdul Hamid, also the chancellor of all universities in the country, recently gave private universities 16-point guidelines to tackle irregularities. Sources said many private universities have not taken any measures to sort out their irregularities. Rather, they have remained engaged in irregularities and corruption under the nose of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Education.
The institutions are violating the rules on the Private University Act, they said.
Over two dozen universities are yet to shift their academic activities to their permanent campuses even after repeated extension of deadlines.
Many universities are illegally appointing vice chancellors (VC), pro-VCs and treasurers while some of them are not submitting their audit reports to the authorities concerned.
It is found that private universities are not following most of the UGC’s recommendations.
, including appointment of more fulltime teachers, shifting academic activities to own campuses, appointment of VCs, pro-VCs and treasurers as per law, holding regular meetings of syndicate and academic committees and carrying out audit.
UGC Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan told the daily sun that a number of private universities are involved in irregularities. They are not following the president’s directives and the commission’s recommendations.
The UGC cannot take any action against the irregularities-plagued universities due to lack of necessary power, he said.
The commission just sends recommendations to the Ministry of Education time to time for taking action, but their suggestions go unheeded in many cases.
Sources at the UGC and the ministry said currently there are 103 private universities in the country. Of them, 91 are in operation and 11 are yet to start academic activities.
Besides, a court ordered a halt to the academic activities of a university for irregularities.
The ministry gave a deadline to 39 universities to shift their activities to their own campuses. The deadline ended on December 31 last year, but most of them haven’t shifted their academic activities to their permanent campuses.
The ministry also warned the universities of action if they fail to shift their campuses. Ten months’ time has passed by after the end of the deadline, but the ministry is yet to take any action.
The UGC recently sent a progress report to the ministry about the shifting of private universities’ campuses.
It said letters were sent to 17 universities, asking them to relocate their permanent campuses. Two universities were asked to close their outer campuses while another university was asked to buy land for its permanent campus.
Following the order, seven universities —- United International University, Pundra University of Science and Technology, American International University of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami University, East Delta University, Atish Dipankar University, and Prime University —- have gone to their permanent campuses.
But, the UGC did not find any progress of 12 universities regarding relocation of their permanent campus within the deadlines. They are University of Development Alternative, South East University, Prime Asia University, Bangladesh University, Asa University, Royal University, Victoria University, South Asia University, Ibais University, State University, Stamford University and Premier University.
Despite having permanent campus, five universities — Daffodil International University, Dhaka International University, Asian University, Leading University and Manarat International University — are carrying out academic activities on outer campuses.
Meanwhile, University of Science and Technology in Chittagong and City University in Dhaka are still running outer campus, violating orders of the UGC.
There is a rule for private universities to submit their audit reports to the UGC every academic year by December. But, only 27 universities submitted their audit reports in 2017, 25 universities in 2016 and 31 universities in 2015. Most of the universities did not submit their financial reports.
As per section 29 (1) of the Private Universities Act-2010, it is mandatory for private universities to appoint persons to key posts on permanent basis to ensure smooth running of their administrative and academic activities.
But, the posts of VCs are lying vacant at 21, out of 91, private universities; posts of pro-VCs at 70 universities and posts of treasurers at 49 universities.
Besides, many universities are appointing unskilled persons to key posts, including those of VCs, pro-VCs.
As per section 35 (3) of the Private University Act-2010, the number of the part-time teachers at every department or programme will not be over one-third of the fulltime teachers, but many universities are not following the rules.
Apart from this, there is a massive allegation of selling certificates in exchange for money against a number of private universities.
On February 6, this year, a meeting was held between President Abdul Hamid and the VCs of private universities. After the meeting, the head of state has given guidelines to private universities to fight irregularities.
In the guidelines, he asked private varsities to stop ‘certificate business’, ‘admission trade’ and taking more admission fees from students.
It was mentioned in guidelines that private universities will have to implement the ‘Private University Act-2010’ to ensure quality education.
It is also said to form the ‘Accreditation Council’ quickly and take steps to start the council activities.
They will have to constitute monitoring committees to look into whether their students are getting involved in extremism and terrorist activities.
They will have to inform the government of the regular activities of the committee.
The universities’ authorities have been instructed to conduct regular audits to ensure financial transparency there.
The audit reports will have to be submitted regularly to the Education Ministry and the UGC while its copy will be submitted to the chancellor.
The president said the academic and administrative activities should be transferred to the permanent campus. The ministry and the UGC will oversee the implementation of it.
In order to ensure transparency in appointing teachers, the president instructed, “There should be a policy for all the universities to appoint qualified teachers.”
The president’s directives also include students’ admission into the private universities through test for quality education and a time-befitting curriculum.
On March 8, a letter was sent from the president’s office to the ministry, seeking a progress report on the implementation of the guidelines.
But, there is no visible progress in the implementation of the president’s directives.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid repeatedly warned that the government will take legal action against private universities failing to fulfill conditions. But, no action was taken yet.