Following an order of the High Court of Karnataka, Bangalore University has decided to appoint syndicate members to the Local Inquiry Committee (LIC).
LICs play an important role in giving affiliation to new degree colleges, autonomy to institutions of higher education, and renewal of affiliation to existing colleges.
Earlier, syndicates constituted the LICs with syndicate members, academic council members, education experts and others. This committee would visit degree colleges, verify compliance with all University Grant Commission (UGC) norms, infrastructure requirements, and other facilities before reporting to the syndicate.
On the basis of an LIC’s report, the syndicate would take appropriate decision in providing affiliation to the college.
However, many syndicate members, who were part of LICs, were also owning degree colleges, leading to allegations of them influencing the committee.
In November 2022, the State Government ordered that syndicate members of universities will not be a part of LIC. The government also said that only educationists would be part of the LIC.
On November 24, 2022, a decision was taken in the Bangalore University syndicate meeting not to allow its members to become executive members of the LIC.
However, some syndicate members of Bengaluru North University, nominated by the governor, challenged the government order in the High Court of Karnataka. Recently, the High Court gave a stay on the government order till June 16, 2024.
Jayakara S.M., Vice Chancellor of Bangalore University, told The Hindu, “The High Court has stayed the earlier government order, which barred the appointment of syndicate member as members of LIC. We must follow the court order. We also brought this to the attention of the government, and decided to allow syndicate members to be member of the LIC.”
