Check on unauthorised education institutions

The higher and technical education department of the Maharashtra state government may restrict the penetration of unauthorised education institutions and the unrecognised syllabus in the authorised institutions.

The department has finalised the draft of the bill which is expected to be cleared by the state cabinet in the next few days.This bill was reproduced after the state government received numerous complaints against bogus universities that cheated students. The draft bill has suggested penalties of Rs 1lakh to Rs 5 lakh or the imprisonment of up to one year for the violation of the norms. The bill also asks the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) to take adequate precautions before publishing the ads of unathorised institutions.

In the draft bill, the department has clarified that the institution not recognised by apex bodies like University Grant Commission, All India Coucil for Technical Education, Pharmacy Council of India or the state government will be termed as the unauthorised institutions.

The department expects the bill to be passed in monsoon session of the state legislature slated to start in third week of July.Meanwhile, it was proposed to empower the state legislature to grant permission to the private universities that are interested in opening their campuses in the state. With the Act,universities are expected to start functioning from academic year 2013-14.