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Daijiworld Media Network—Mumbai (RD/CN)
 
Mumbai, Apr 8: Maharastra Governor S C Jamir on Tuesday April 7, expressed the need for major reforms in the university system and creation of a congenial atmosphere in campuses for the healthy growth of higher education. 
 
Calling for the reconstitution of the Search Committee for the selection of vice-chancellors, Governor Jamir said the committee should have eminent people as members.  This according to him would reduce political interference in the selection of vice-chancellors.
 
The Governor was addressing a special meeting of vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, and heads of academic institutions at Raj Bhavan here on Tuesday April 7, to discuss the interim report of Prof Yashpal Committee on ‘Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education’. 
 
Committee chairman Prof Yashpal and member Prof Govardhan Mehta were present on the occasion.

The Governor said that vice-chancellors are heavily occupied with administrative work and routine complaints and had little time to work for the academic growth of their institutions. He added that only persons who could contribute to the development of the university should be selected as members on bodies like senate, academic council, and management council.  The lecturers of the university must be selected purely on merit, he stressed. 
 
Governor Jamir welcomed the recommendation of the Yashpal Committee that proposed to create an all-encompassing apex body, the Higher Education Commission, to replace the UGC, AICTE, NCTE, and other regulatory bodies.
 
Prof Yashpal, speaking on the occasion, called for starting ‘a freedom movement in higher education,’ to free universities of excessive bureaucratic control.  Universities should be self-regulated bodies having autonomy to decide their goals, design courses, and syllabi. 
 
The Prof Yashpal Committee was constituted by the union government in February 2008; to review the functioning of the UGC and AICTE, assess their role and preparedness in providing leadership to the emerging demands of access, equity, relevance, and quality of higher education, technical education, and the university system.