Odisha Withdraws Order Prohibiting Universities from Offering Self-Financed Courses

New Delhi: Odisha's higher education department withdrew a recent order prohibiting universities from offering new self-financed courses (SFCs) on Monday, April 18.

The governor of Odisha, Ganeshi Lal, who is also the chancellor of state public universities, has advised vice-chancellors and heads of state public universities in the state not to open new SFCs under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

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The governor expressed concern in a letter to the vice-chancellors and heads of 20 state public universities and institutions in the state about the way SFCs are currently being run in the state public universities, particularly how SFCs tend to eclipse the universities' regular courses.

A higher education letter issued on Monday stated,” Higher education department letter issued on April 16 in regard to streamlining of self-financed courses in the state public universities, is hereby withdrawn”.

The letter had the names of representatives for 13 state public universities and the order restricting the opening of new SFCs in universities.

The governor's office had mandated that the overall student strength of all SFCs combined should not exceed 20% of the total student strength of all regular courses in order to streamline the SFCs in the state public institutions. If a university has 1000 students each year in all regular courses taken together, it can run SFCs with a maximum admission of 200 students per year.

“If the current student strength of SFCs in any university is more than the 20% ceiling, the same must be brought down to the prescribed ceiling with effect from the academic year 2022-23 by reducing the number of SFCs seats or discontinuing some not so well-performing SFCs,” stated the earlier order.

According to the governor's letter, universities can launch additional SFCs as needed in the future, as long as they respect the guideline on student strength limits. However, all new SFCs must operate in 'Direct Mode.' The prior letter said that new SFCs in 'PPP mode' should not be authorised at all.

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