UGC Grants Autonomous Status To Eight More Maharashtra Colleges; Can Now Set Their Own Curriculum

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has granted autonomous status to eight more colleges in Maharashtra, including three in Mumbai, reports The Indian Express.

This comes on the heels of autonomous status being bestowed upon Guru Nanak Khalsa College in Matunga and Patkar-Varde College in Goregaon.

SNDT’s Dr Bhanuben Mahendra Nanavati College of Home Science in Matunga, Hansraj Jivandas College of Education (Khar West) and Changukana Thakur College (Panvel) are three new autonomous colleges in Mumbai, taking the total number of such autonomous institutions in the city to 16. This also increases the overall number for Maharashtra to 68.

These colleges will now be eligible to apply for a Rs 5 crore grant to upgrade their infrastructure under component number 8 of the Rahstriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). This is subject to them meeting the requirement of having a National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) score of at least 3.51.

Principal of Dr Bhanuben Mahendra Nanavati College of Home Science, Dr Shilpa Charankar, was quoted as saying that their objective after attaining autonomy is to enhance their industry needs, improve skill development, employability potential and other measures.

In a statement, Higher and Technical Education Minister Vinod Tawde said that these autonomous institutions should now experiment with their own curricula.