BHUBANESWAR: Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal, who is also the chancellor of state public universities, has directed the vice-chancellors and heads of state public universities.institutes in the state not to open new self-finance courses (SFCs) in public private partnership (PPP) mode.

In a letter to vice-chancellors and heads of 20 state public universities and institutes in the state, the governor has expressed concern regarding the manner in which SFCs are currently being run in the state public universities, especially the way SFCs tend to overshadow the regular courses of the universities concerned.

Now the universities and institutes run two types of courses- regular and SFC. The SFCs are being run via ‘Direct mode’ and ‘PPP mode’. Direct mode means where a SFC is run by a university directly by itself without involvement of any private organisation. PPP mode means where a SFC is run by a university through or in collaboration with a private organisation.
To streamline the SFCs in the state public universities, he asked the higher education institutions to follow his four directions. He said the student strength of all SFCs put together should not exceed 20 percent of the total student strength of all regular courses. If a university has student strength of 1000 per year in all regular courses taken together, it can run SFCs for maximum intake student strength of 200 per year.

If the current student strength of SFCs in any university is more than the 20 percent ceiling, the same must be brought down to the prescribed ceiling with effect from the academic year 2022-23 by reducing the number of SFCs seats or discontinuing some not so well-performing SFCs. The institutions should take a decision regarding reducing seats and discontinuing courses by June 30. These SFCs will continue for a year or two till passing out of the last batch of already admitted students, said the official direction.

The governor’s letter stated that new SFCs can be started in future by universities as per need following the direction on ceiling of student strength. But all new SFCs must run in ‘Direct Mode’. “New SFCs in ‘PPP mode’ shall not be permitted at all. Admission of students into SFCs must be made through an open and merit-based selection process,” said the governor’s letter.

Universities.institutes were asked to send compliance reports of these directions by July 7 for perusal of the chancellor.

On April 4, the TOI had reported a story regarding the plight of students of BSc Nursing (self-finance course) from the rural campus of Utkal University. They were pursuing their SFC in PPP mode. They had alleged that the private organisation running the course did not have adequate teaching staff, library, hostel, laboratory and other facilities.

Rama Devi Women’s University vice-chancellor Aparajita Chowdhury welcomed the decision and said the university will implement these directions. Other vice-chancellors also welcomed the move.