Lok Sabha Question No. 2021 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-30
Subject: Deemed Universities
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: P. C. MOHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2021

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2018

## Deemed Universities

## 2021. SHRI P.C. MOHAN:

Will	the	Minister	of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be	pleased	to	state : (a)	 whether	 the	 Government	 has	 given	 permission	 to	 deemed	 universities	 to	 run engineering	courses	under	distance	learning	scheme; (b)	if	so,	the	details	thereof; (c)	 whether	 the	 Apex	 Court	 has	 suspended	 the	 engineering	 courses	 conducted	 under distance	learning	schemes	from	2001	to	2005; (d)	 if	 so,	 the	 steps	 taken	 by	 the	 Government	 to	 protect	 the	 interest	 of	 students	 who obtained	degrees	without	their	fault; (e)	whether	the	Government	would	bring	out	any	legislation	to	regularise	the	distance learning	professional	courses;	and

- (f)	if	so,	the	details	thereof	and	if	not,	the	reasons	therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

- (a)	&	(b):	No,	Madam.

(c)	 &	 (d):	 Yes,	 Madam.	 The	 Hon'ble	 Supreme	 Court	 of	 India	 vide	 its	 Judgment	 Order dated	 03.11.2017	 in	 Civil	 Appeal	 Nos.	 17869-17870/2017	 has	 suspended	 all	 the degrees	 in	 Engineering	 offered	 during	 the	 Academic	 Sessions	 2001-2005	 by	 four Deemed	to	be	Universities	namely	Institute	of	Advanced	Studies	in	Education	(IASE), Sardarshahr,	 Rajasthan;	 Janardan	 Rai	 Nagar	 Rajasthan	 Vidyapeeth	 (JRNRV),	 Udaipur, Rajasthan;	 Vinayaka	 Mission's	 Research	 Foundation	 (NMRF),	 Salem,	 Tamil	 Nadu;	 and Allahabad	 Agricultural	 Institute	 (AAI),	 Allahabad,	 Uttar	 Pradesh	 (now	 known	 as	 Sam Higginbottom	Institute	of	Agriculture,	Technology	&	Sciences).	The	Court	directed	the All	India	Council	for	Technical	Education	(AICTE)	to	devise	the	modalities	to	conduct	an appropriate	 test	 /	 tests	 for	 those	 students	 who	 were	 admitted	 in	 these	 Institutions during	the	Academic	Sessions	2001-2005.	The	options	may	be	given	to	the	concerned students	 for	 appearing	 in	 the	 test.	 The	 students	 will	 be	 given	 two	 opportunities	 to qualify	the	Test. Further,	 Hon'ble	 Court	 vide	 its	 judgment	 dated	 22.01.2018	 held	 that	 all	 such candidates,	who	wish	to	appear	at	the	Test	to	be	conducted	by	AICTE	in	May-June	2018, can	 retain	 the	 degrees	 in	 question	 and	 all	 the	 advantages	 flowing	 there	 from	 till	 one month	after	 the	 declaration	 of	 the	 result	 of	 such	 test	 or	 till	 31.07.2018	 whichever	 is earlier.	If	the	candidates	pass	in	such	first	attempt,	they	would	be	entitled	to	retain	all the	advantages.	But	if	they	fail	or	choose	not	to	appear,	the	directions	in	the	judgment shall	 apply,	 in	 that	 case	 the	 degrees	 and	 all	 advantages	 shall	 stand	 suspended	 and withdrawn.	 They	 will,	 undoubtedly,	 be	 entitled	 to	 appear	 on	 the	 second	 occasion	 in terms	of	the	judgment	but	this	exception	shall	not	apply	for	such	second	attempt. (e):	No,	Madam.	There	is	no	such	proposal	at	present. (f):	In	view	of	(e)	above,	does	not	arise.

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