A British tool!

Sibal gives a spin to college affiliation.

Kapil Sibal, as the chairperson of the Central Advisory Board of Education — the highest advisory body in education, urged states to reduce the number of colleges affiliated to universities.

Sibal as the chairperson of the Central Advisory Board of Education — the highest advisory body in education — urged states to reduce the number of colleges affiliated to universities.

Infact, he said: “ It started way back in 1857, before the Sepoy Mutiny”. Deaffiliation of colleges, however, has not found an all round support among academicians.

Sibal said: “ Affiliation had emerged in the period of colonial India for the rulers to control what was being taught. There has to be a change in the philosophy of affiliation to enable the power of independence, thought to flower in the collegiate system.” He said number of colleges affiliated to universities should be reduced, so that universities could become centres of learning.” According to Indian Council of Historical Research chairperson Basudev Chatterji, this is an “ erroneous view of history.” “ The British had set up colleges such as the three Presidency Colleges in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras and gone onto affiliate colleges to create a robust system.” Chatterji cited the example of Presidency College in Kolkata, which at present is to be upgraded to a university status. “ Deaffiliation,” said Chatterji: “ leads to whole lot of complications.” Reforms in the affiliation system in universities, was one of the crucial recommendations proposed at the VC conference of central and state universities, held in March.

The UGC has now been asked to work on reforms of its affiliation system of colleges to universities, so that institutions of poor quality are not granted affiliation and at the same time, deserving colleges are given autonomy.

Bestowing autonomy to top colleges such as St. Stephens in Delhi and St Xavier’s in Kolkata, and allowing them to give their own degrees has been one of the crucial issues that the ministry has been deliberating for some time now.

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