Raviprasad Kamila for The Hindu

• Autonomy status only for the year 2007-08
• Government had granted autonomy to seven degree colleges

Mangalore, Jun 11: Mangalore University has issued orders granting autonomy to five degree colleges affiliated to it. Seven colleges were granted autonomy by the State Government recently.

However, the autonomy has been given only for one year (2007-08) instead of six years as mentioned in the statute of autonomy.

Two colleges have rejected the grant of autonomy and written to the university that they would remain under the university system.

The five colleges have been issued orders (dated June 6) granting autonomy with six conditions.

The conditions have been laid as recommended by the Government, sources told The Hindu . Will the status continue next year? The Government had not made it clear, the sources said.

According to the conditions, the colleges should not change the syllabi of their first year courses for 2007-08. Autonomy has been given only for academic subjects and not for non-academic matters. The colleges should collect only the fee prescribed by the university.

Autonomy will apply for only courses recommended by the Standing Committee of the university. The colleges should follow the rules and regulations issued by the university and they should follow the norms in admissions and recruitment.

Sources said that some conditions laid down by the Government were contradictory to the provisions in the "Statute governing the grant of autonomy to colleges, institutions and units and functioning of autonomous colleges of Mangalore University" approved by the Government.

For example, according to the statute, autonomy should be given initially for six years. But the Government has given autonomy initially only for one year.