Shivaji University asks affiliated colleges to apply for CPE scheme

Kolhapur: The Shivaji University, Kolhapur (SUK) has directed all affiliated colleges to apply for the University Grants Commission's (UGC) scheme of Colleges with Potential Excellence (CPE). If a college is selected under this scheme, it will receive Rs 1.5 crore funds from the UGC for academic and administrative development.

In a circular dated January 21, the university asked all principals of affiliated colleges to send applications before January 31. The deadline to forward scrutinised applications to the UGC is set at February 15.

In its January 16 letter, the UGC asked all universities to authenticate the submitted data, before sending the proposals. "The proposals obtained by the university must be scrutinised by a committee. The panel should be headed by the vice-chancellor and should comprise the registrar, college development council and two-three experts from outside the university," the letter stated.

The circular also said that a maximum number of eight colleges are eligible to be recommended by a university on order of merit.

For the academic 2013-14, the city-based Chhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business Education and Research (CSIBER) College was selected under the scheme. Apart from CSIBER, nine other colleges across the state managed to get the UGC approval and were included in the scheme.

Last year, the UGC received 79 applications in all and only 36 colleges across the country were recommended to be included in the CPE scheme. According to the UGC circular, the colleges were reviewed in November and December last year.

The CPE scheme was started by the UGC to identify colleges, which showcase high standards in teaching, research and extension activities. The funds are allotted under the scheme to improve and strengthen its infrastructure to enable the colleges to achieve higher academic standards

The UGC circular stated that the scheme aims to define and manage the processes included in the design, development and delivery of the chosen academic programmes. Apart from this, it also enables colleges in strengthening academic and physical infrastructure to bring teaching, research and outreach programmes at par with global standards.

The UGC funded 97 colleges under the scheme in the 2004-05 and 2006-07 academic years. These were the scheme's first and second phases respectively.