Degrees given out by IISER Pune and Kolkata are not valid: UGC

Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune and Kolkata doled out provisional degrees to the students who passed out from there. However, IISER Pune degrees as well as IISER Kolkata degrees are not valid according to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956, which states that only institutions allowed by State or Parliamentary Law or ones having deemed-to-be-university status under Section 3 of the UGC Act can award degrees.

Since the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) Act, 2007 has still not been amended by the Parliament, IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata cannot be declared deemed-to-be-university and cannot be allowed to award degrees, as they do not fulfill the specified criteria. Despite being the institutes of national importance, IISER has become entangled in the laws of HRD Ministry without the power to award degrees or equivalent awards.

In May 2011, about 80 students have passed from IISER Pune and Kolkata and were given provisional certificates. Since then, they have been waiting for the amendment of the NIT Act which was expected to take place in the monsoon session this year. According to the NIT Act, 2007, an institution cannot submit an application to be considered a 'deemed varsity', if it has already enrolled students and is in operation for less than 15 years.

IISERs may have applied under 'de novo universities' category though which was meant to promote new and emerging areas of knowledge but the basic sciences courses it offers, do not fit this category. Ironically, many engineering and medical colleges have misused this category to gain 'deemed-to-be-university' status by giving fanciful names to their old courses.

Source: Ruchi Shrimali (Shiksha Team)