Saving the Public University

Context: It is time to reform governance of central universities, the Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) and other public institutions, for more autonomy and accountability.

Problems of central universities in India

• Administrative turmoil: Recently, six Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of central universities have been sacked.
• Lack of true broad-based universities: While the locus of innovation switching to new and innovative private universities range of humanities, social and natural sciences and the professional disciplines are ignored.
• Systemic challenges: In an arrangement designed to impart checks and balances, the structure of university administration has become complex.
  • The visitor of the university is the President of India. On his behalf, the Ministry of Education recommends an eminent citizen as the chancellor, whose role is mostly ceremonial.
  • The Governing Council (GC) is chosen by the government, which usually has nominees from various stakeholders, including the government, faculty, students, and citizens.
  • A separate finance committee is constituted, headed by a chief finance officer, who is often a civil servant on secondment to the university.
• Crisis of accountability: due to the minimal governance
  • GC has no say in the selection of the Vice-Chancellor (chosen by government) and typically meets only once a year.
  • Rubber stamp: Once it gives approval to a plan, there is a minimal direction or monitoring from the GC.
  • Huge size of GC: Eg. GC of Delhi University, called the Senate, has 475 members.

Way Forward: Restructure GC by an Act of Parliament

• Limit the strength: Similar to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) bill, which limits the GC to at most 19 members.
• Expand the GC: Alumni shall be included in the GC as they will bring dynamism, oversight, and resources.g. Harvard University had successfully done this.
• The Alumni of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, spearheading its billion-dollar endowment campaign shall be invited to join the GC; They will help to raise money quickly and spend it well.
• The dynamism and exposure that these alumni will bring to the table will promptly lead to world-class innovations.

Conclusion:

• The warrior-poet Rahim, famously said- Ek saadhe sab sadhai, sab saadhe pat jaaya, Rahiman mool hi seenchiye, phoole phale aghai. - (“If you accomplish one big thing, everything gets accomplished, but if you try and fix everything at once, then nothing gets fixed; as in plants, water the roots, and the whole plant prospers and yields flowers and fruits”)
• To allow central universities, the IITs and other public institutions to truly blossom, we need to reform their governance.