Chennai: Fifteen top universities in the country, including University of Madras are vying to get Rs.110 crore grant from the University Grants Commission (UGC) as part of the University of Excellence (UE) scheme. Three universities would be selected for the top honour within three months.
UGC would select universities based on certain parameters and benchmarks it had set and the thrust areas of the concerned university. Madras University has been working on herbal sciences, similarly other 14 universities have their area of expertise.
“Madras University has been selected twice for the University with Potential for Excellence scheme and applying for the third cycle, and the scheme allows for three such entries. If it delivers on its thrust area and show how the research has given back to society it may be selected,” said Professor H. Devaraj, vice-chairman, UGC.
Pointing out that a standing committee would soon be formed with vice-chairman as the head to select the three universities, Devaraj said that the committee would encompass one member from the UGC, two academics (one from the sciences and one from the humanities and social science department), one person with a technology background, one person connected with the national laboratories, and an industry representative.
The 15 universities that compete for the University of Excellence include Mumbai University, Calcutta University, Osmania University, Banaras Hindu University, Pune University, Mysore University and Karnataka University. As part of the 12th Five-Year Plan, institutions which were selected as Universities with Potential of Excellence received Rs. 60 crore.
UGC also plans to enhance the status of autonomous colleges to degree awarding institutions after meeting their representatives on May 12 to submit report on regional meetings. Of the 451 autonomous institutions, 144 are from Tamil Nadu.
