“Autonomy in Higher Education: Shifting Paradigms”

“Conceptualising Autonomy”

Ramesh B Kasetwar*

Concept

To start with let us first understand and have clarity about the word “autonomy”.

Few meaningful meanings of “Autonomy” as given by Thesaurus are Independence, Self-

sufficiency, self- government, Self-rule, Sovereignty, self-determination etc.

Etymogically autonomy means ‘self-norm’. The condition or quality of being autonomous /

independence. Self-government or the right of self-government; self-determination. Self-

government with respect to local or internal affairs: granted autonomy to a national minority. A

self-governing state, community, or group.

As given in a Political Dictionary autonomy is meant Self-government: The term may be applied

both to the individual person and to a group or an institution. According to Kant, an autonomous

person is, fundamentally one who is able to act according to his or her own direction; the

prerequisite for rational human action. An autonomous institution is one which is able to regulate

its own affairs.

The relation between the self-government of a group and individual autonomy is complicated by

the need to distinguish between the collective self-government of a group and the self-direction

of an individual member of that group. As Rousseau's writings illustrate; ideas about individual

autonomy are closely linked to conceptions of freedom. For example, to act according to your

own direction, it may require access to all the available resources, in which case to provide with

both liberty and autonomy. Further, the autonomy is also connected to notions of the constitution

of the self. For example, it may be held that one is not truly ‘self-governing’ if the action is driven

by powerful phobias. ‘I’ cannot regulate, any more, if actions are determined by external

circumstances beyond one’s control.

Autonomy in the domain of education

To guarantee higher quality and to attain better performance in teaching and learning processes,

it is necessary to encourage the involvement and commitment of all those involved with the

process like teachers, students and the management. Foisting of orders and command would

necessarily be a factor impeding the innovation, competence and commitment of those involved

in the very process and such a course for achieving excellence is therefore, undesirable.

The autonomy basically means: providing freedom to all people who are responsible for the

execution of the job itself.

The autonomy is expected to provide a better framework through a decentralized management

culture. The delegation of authority with accountability for the academic as well as the associate

management function is therefore, essential for the success of infusion of autonomy. Autonomy,

when exercised with the sense of responsibility and accountability will inevitably lead to

excellence in academics, governance and financial management of the institutions. If it does not

lead to this, it can be safely concluded that autonomy “has been misused”.

Academic / Administrative autonomy

Academic autonomy is the freedom to decide all the issues related to academics like development

and value addition to curriculum, instructional and learning material, pedagogy, techniques of

students’ evaluation, academic research, content development, keeping pace with industries /

employers etc. Administrative autonomy is the freedom to institution to manage its own affairs

with regard to administration; general as well as academic. It is the freedom to manage the affairs

in such a way that it stimulates and encourages initiative and development of individuals working

in the institutions and thereby for the institution itself.

Financial Autonomy

The financial autonomy is the freedom to the institution to plan, mobilise and then utilize the

financial resources in a prudent way, keeping in view its priorities. Government will have an

obligation to meet financial needs on their justification. Justification and discretionary powers will

not be used by the statutory / political bodies.

Autonomy and accountability are two sides of the same coin.

Purpose and Assumptions of Institutional Autonomy

Institutional autonomy is based upon the argument (based on long experience) that the institutions

can properly undertake the responsibility expected from them by the community / society. This

will be possible only if they have freedom of choice and of action. This does not exempt them

from public interest and criticism, nor does it mean that their policies should not be under review

by themselves, peers and by others.

Responsibility and accountability will definitely enforce the desired results from them.

One of the more important areas of institutional autonomy is in the selection of staff and students.

Although pay scales and, under certain circumstances, conditions of employment may require

government guidelines / approval, the individuals appointed to posts, even at the highest level,

are ultimately a matter for the institutions' Councils alone. Yearly intake (numbers of the Student)

are determined by government on the basis of state planning and also advice from the UGC. But

assessment / evaluation of quality of the students is needed to be left to the process entirely

controlled by the institution of higher education. Based on the quality available (if the location of

the institution is in the rural / semi urban area), the institution can strategize / plan and execute

the methodology for ensuring employability of the students at the end of their academic

engagement.

Another aspect of institutional autonomy lies in the determination of curricula and the setting of

standards based on the demands from the industries and other employers of the fresher students.

Although choices will necessarily depend upon prior educational achievement at school and upon

employers' and professional bodies' needs and expectations of graduates, and there will be

financial limitations in some disciplines, responsibility for what is taught and how well it is taught

lies with the institutions. Institutions can react to society's needs by the provision of new courses

or the modification to existing ones much more effectively through their own network of contacts

(including active and passive members of governing bodies and alumni) than through inflexible

official channels concerned with manpower planning.

Reasons behind institutional autonomy

There are several reasons why the issues of academic freedom and university autonomy have

re-emerged on the agenda in the last few years. First of all, there is the spiralling increase in the

number of students since the end of the World War II, as its corollary, the explosion in most

countries — whatever their political or social system — of the number of higher education

institutions, a phenomenon that has gained momentum over the years. But few other phenomena

have also played decisive a role:

a) The fall of many dictatorial or authoritarian regimes, and more especially the Communist

regimes in the former Soviet Union and Europe;

b) the growing, and no doubt sometimes excessive, influence of the economic world, be it on

teaching or research, with applied and basic research contracts being more and more

entrusted to universities, and the creation of 'universities' by or within large firms, and more

especially multinationals;

c) the ever more rapid development, thanks to the new means of communication offered by

today's technology, of distance education and, as a corollary the creation de facto or by

law of 'virtual' universities whose activities extend to many countries and are almost

universal. They escape all control, including state control, but also at least for the moment

control beyond the national jurisdiction.

Draw backs of the university affiliating system

The causes can be summarized as:-

• In this system the actual teaching and learning process takes place in affiliated

colleges. But no powers are delegated to the affiliated institutions to decide whom

to teach, when to teach, what to learn and how to evaluate; etc.

• The colleges have a subsidiary character with no function as catalyst in education

for social change and progress

• Teachers have hardly any role (to be specific: limited) in generating knowledge

and absolutely no visible recognition in research undertakings.

• Students have limited options with hardly any provision for individual’s aptitudes

and aspirations.

• The development needs of qualified manpower requirements of the country hardly

find any place in the university controlled educational process.

• Changes in curriculum and syllabi are very slow in the affiliating system due to

difficulty of bringing together large number of people involved in the process.

• Communication channels are very slow moving and cumbersome in an era of

communication revolution

Backdrop

Thus to summarise, an autonomous person is, fundamentally, one who is able to act according

to his or her own direction; the prerequisite for rational human action. Similarly an autonomous

institution is one which is able to regulate its own affairs in “all aspects” of management of the

institution viz core academics, academic administrative, recruitment, expansion, value additions,

finances, research, trainings / talent enhancements, general administration, brand management

etc.

Higher education (HE) in conventional terms in India is after 10+2.

Let us now make some efforts to relate the concept of “the autonomy” with the aspects of domain

of higher education. Without understanding the deeper meaning of autonomy it will not be possible

to understand the holistic implications of autonomy. The system of higher education in India is too

large and complicated with many statutory / non-statutory authorities working independently or

having overlapping fields of influence. The hierarchy of higher education starts from the top at

Govt of India (Min of HRD) as a statutory body and ends at the bottom at various types of

institutions of higher education, conventionally named as “colleges” or “institutes” in India. It is

strongly felt that; in real terms, as on date, no statutory body or institutes at any level have

autonomy in “spirit”. All are governed very closely by someone at the top. “Autonomy” in its

present format seems to be a misnomer or visual. Functioning only with independence is not the

autonomy. Always “looking upward” is an indicator of lack of autonomy. Always controlling

everything “down” is also an indicator of lack of autonomy.

Every component of the system of higher education is meant to play a specific and well defined

role for smooth and efficient functioning of the system. Even allied / support systems are meant

to play specific roles for the smooth and efficient functioning of the system. Even the system of

Assessment and Accreditation (viz by NAAC) was virtually functioning under UGC, relying heavily

on the policies being made by UGC thus leaving, in reality, no room for “spirit of autonomy”. Policy

making or providing strategic directions is definitely a role of “higher ups”; but that definitely cannot

be the “controlling” factor. Autonomy definitely is functioning with total independence, total self-

sufficiency, with principles of self-government, having leg room for self-rule, having sovereignty

in spirit and with power for self-determination. Autonomy has to be “applied / functional” on ground

and not given in “directives”.

It is the experience that there generally are fears that autonomy will destroy the principle of “total

control” over various functions of the organisation / team etc. Having an influence is totally

different than having control.

Even in the war, the smallest team named as “platoon” or “section” will have to be given an

autonomy while going for the final and decisive assault on the well dug enemy bunkers. The

commander at the lowest level is left to take his decision, of course under the directive of the

senior. It is felt that autonomy gives better results than “always holding hands”. The trait of

“responsibility” or “accountability” is not rooted deep if autonomy is not practiced in its spirit.

Autonomy gives the feeling of being on your own feet and giving impetus for achieving the desired

and designed results.

The statutory bodies must play a role of “Light House” of providing directions and NOT directives.

Higher Education: Real time Scenario

Readers’ attention is invited to the few of the mind boggling incidences.

(a) Coimbatore : Times of India News (Dec 2014)

(i) Major city colleges (total 134) work out of illegal buildings.

(ii) As colleges sprout by the dozen to cater to the growing city, the governing bodies are

unable to enforce building rules efficiently, posing threat to the students.

(iii) Trouble makers: Engineering, Polytechnic (29 / 134), Medical, Nursing, Pharma (37 /

134), Arts & Science (18 / 134), Education, Training centres (26 /

134), Applied for approval (24/134)

(iv) Rules for Approval

Buildings must be approved by an authorised architect

Colleges must submit building plans when applying for AICTE approval

AICTE scrutinises the documents and inspects site.

Colleges without approval could be penalised. Civil or criminal action can be

initiated.

(v) Long Process

Each college has to get 16 permits for the new building

College management say they pay between Rs 30 to Rs 60 per sq ft. as bribe

for approval

State varsity say it is the parliamentary body’s duty to very documents.

(vi) Safety Concerns

Lack of approval could prove to be safety hazards to the students

In an accident, nobody would be held responsible, as no approval was granted

by any one.

(b) Indian Marine University

(i) The logic of allowing so many institutes - some 37 affiliated to IMU besides many

private and deemed universities – to train Indians for marine officer positions seemed

flawed.

(ii) Observers were also questioning the setting up of IMU when the existing system of

training Indian merchant marines had been working well.

(iii) Charges of corruption and irregularities against former Vice Chancellor of IMU added

to the university’s teething problems.

(iv) IMU suffered initially due to a total lack of proper administration whether it was in the

case of recruitment of faculty or getting non-planned funds sanctioned for

administrative purpose. Frequent change of VC (4 in 5 years) took a toll too.

(v) Faced with complaints about the quality of education as well as for trying to do too

many things too soon, IMU is now shedding ballast.

Senior position holders of which statutory body can be held responsible / accountable for these

happenings. Can someone be hanged y neck till death? Is it not the social heinous crime, even if

cannot be proved as criminal offence due to lengthy and complicated legal process?

Higher Education: Present Scenario

It has been personally experienced while the brisk and continuous walk through the system of

higher education for more than 3 decades that, as on date autonomy is not seen / felt /

experienced, in its real shape and spirit anywhere in the entire system of higher education existing

in India today. As mentioned earlier there are evidences of too much of “dependence” or “lack of

autonomy” in the entire system. “Performance Appraisal” (in various formats) is used as a

powerful tool to intentionally dilute the autonomy. The system of HE is too large and diversified

having purely governmental establishments, quasi government establishments, PPP models,

purely / totally private entities etc. It is also felt that the whole system is under tight control of

bureaucracy, not having much knowledge / involvement in core academic functions. Being a part

of system of HE as a student (at various levels) cannot be the alibi or license for bureaucrats to

“control” or “interfere” in functioning of pure academic domain with the power of authority. General

administration is entirely different than academic administration. Bureaucrats are basically and

functionally trained to ensure “general administration” and never the “academic administration”.

Over stepping / crossing the well-defined and laid down “Laxman Rekha” by the bureaucrats will

prove to be dangerous and detrimental to the spirit and interest of the system of higher education

in the long way.

As known to all of us, talked about by us and mentioned by us, the first 3 universities in the world

were established in India. But as on date, not even one existing university is amongst first 400 in

the world. I do not think any bureaucrat or politician can or will assure our country to bring back

the past glory of Indian high education. They can only play with the statistics (bureaucrats) or

speeches (politicians) to prove their existence. Neither they will be responsible nor accountable

nor will they allow hard core academicians / academic researchers to do needful. They will talk

about increasing GER from present 17.3 % to 30 % by 2020. They have asked all the states to

establish State Higher Education Councils, the SPVs to be responsible / accountable for the

affairs of HE in the respective states. The SHEC are supposed to be apolitical. Has needful been

done? In one of the state in North India, not even one academician or academic researcher is

even the member of SHEC. Politicians and / or bureaucrat are leading the flock. Finally

Rs 1, 00,000 crores is a very big amount to play with. Do they understand what will be the state

of quality in the process of hurried implementation of RUSA? It is a well-known truth that quantity

and quality can never go hand in hand. Why the “total autonomy” cannot be handed over formally

to the professionals related to academics?

Appointment of Vice Chancellors in India is a well-known “secret” but not allowed to be talked

about. Number of vacancies of VCs / Pro VCs are distributed between Governor (as a Chancellor)

and the Chief executive of the State, named as CM to share the “booty”. Why the collegium of

Academicians / academic researchers cannot be appointed and made responsible / accountable

to search and select the most suitable candidates for Vice Chancellor of a university in that state.

One of my colleague (who himself is a VC of a university today) told me informally that

appointment of “Search Committee” is basically a front created to protect the “competent

authority”. The Search committee members do not have guts to say no for “a candidate”

suggested to them because the search committee has been appointed by the politicians /

bureaucrats only. If refused, they will never get the chance to be part of that “prestigious” body

again. I was also made to understand that the rate quoted for the Vice Chancellor of the University

(NOT FOR PROFIT UNIVERSITY) by CM / Min of Higher Education in some states at times is in

crores. Where is the autonomy? In spirit or letters? Is the power called autonomy? If VC is

appointed in such manner, what will happen to the system of higher education under the

jurisdiction of that university? It was also told that new recruits even as Asst Professors are asked

to shell out Rs few lakhs. But who is there to take the risk of becoming “whistle blower”? Every

one desires to be in their own comfort zone.

Why the institutions with “certified quality” or “centres of excellence” cannot be declared

“autonomous” by the university under whose geographical jurisdiction that institution falls? Are

the university authorities not competent to do needful? Why there is a need to control all the

“affairs” by a statutory bodies located at New Delhi? Every type of media in India knows that the

head and also the regional heads of such statutory bodies were placed behind bars for financial

scams. Again we all related to academic domain very well know that there are other statutory

bodies in India whose integrity is also doubtful. Why? Why the autonomy cannot be handed over

to more “intimate” authorities made up of experienced, honest and matured academicians.

As on date institutions of higher education in many states have literally become “commercial

centres” with glamorous buildings and infrastructure. As per reliable media reports, in one of the

state in India, number of engineering colleges were “declared” for sale. Why, in first place these

were sanctioned by the statutory body (HAVING AUTONOMY) against NOC given by the

respective state? Many of us today are aware as to how NOC is issued by the state government.

Are we here committed to fool the entire nation and the system of higher education, in particular

and take for a ride?

Birds’ Eye View about the need of the autonomy

The CABE Committee established during 2005 to study the aspects of autonomy in HE was also

of the view that, autonomy of Higher Education Institutions is a pre-requisite for enabling them to

achieve their goals and objectives. An honest exercise of autonomy - academic, administrative

and financial – will lead to making these Institutions as centres of innovation, excellence and

development.

With this in view the Universities need to be insulated from internal and external pressures of all

kinds, may be bureaucratic, political and other groups. Towards this end, University Grants

Commission, Government of India and State Governments will have to evolve strategies to realize

the intended objective.

Since, autonomy of higher education institution goes hand-in-hand with its accountability, the

delegation and devolution of power and authority concomitant with responsibility should flow not

only from the external environment to the higher education institution but should be given at

different levels within the higher education institution itself. There should be a charter of

responsibility and devolution and delegation of authority defined for different levels within the

university system and both should be monitored together.

The salient recommendations of the committee, in brief are as below:-

(a) Role of HRD:

(i) MHRD should develop a central legislation in consultation with UGC, AICTE and other

Professional Councils to streamline establishment and governance of Private Universities,

Deemed to be Universities, Self-Financing Institutions and establishment of Foreign

Universities in India.

(ii) MHRD may set up a task force to re-examine the existing UGC Act to provide for

incorporation of new provisions to suit the emerging concerns and realities of higher

education.

(b) Role of UGC

(i) UGC should play a catalytic role in revamping curriculum. Amongst others, it should set

up Resource Centres and Teaching- Learning Portals for each subject area and create a

networking among community of teachers assigning specific responsibility for curriculum

development in different subject areas in identified institutions of higher education with one

of the institutions taking the lead for each subject area.

(ii) UGC may set up a consortium of institutions involving other statutory bodies, industries

and research laboratories to work out details for necessary collaboration in enhancing

activities of research for greater benefit to the society.

(c) Role of State and Individual Institutions

The universities and institutions of higher education should immediately initiate steps to review

their Acts, Statutes & Ordinances to provide for greater autonomy in consultation with respective

Governments as the case may be. This will replace the old archaic and centralized system of

governance with decentralized system of functioning to promote speedy decision making with

accountability and cost effectiveness. Specific issues on which these amendments may be

considered include the following:

(i) Granting greater autonomy to University Departments, Boards of Studies and Academic

Councils.

ii) Facilitating introduction of self-financing courses.

iii) Introduction of credit-based semester system (including course credit transfer of credit,

students mobility from one institution to another) to facilitate in-depth learning with

decreased pressure of curriculum load.

iv) Freedom to set up new department and offer new courses.

v) Introduction of distance education programmes in conjunction with conventional face to

face modality of course offerings.

vi) Reconstruction of various decision making committee to include both nominated and

elected representatives in appropriate representation with provision for greater

participation by the academic community.

vii) Making provision for conferment of autonomous status to colleges.

The need of the day

It is felt and strongly recommended that the day has now come to ensure that autonomy for the

ensuring excellence in higher education be handed over in letter and spirit to the collegium of

academicians. And never “not believing” on their competency to manage the entire system to the

satisfaction of entire nation. Entire nation is proud of system being followed by NAAC for

accreditation of institutional quality. Autonomy in higher education is not only to sit on the “chair

of power” but to also ensure the autonomy of various issues related to higher education.

Autonomy is thus needed in the micro-domains of “Educational Quality” (Curricular Aspects,

Teaching-Learning and Evaluation & Research, Consultancy and Extension) and also

“Institutional Support Structure” (Infrastructure and Learning Resources, Student Support and

Progression, Governance and Leadership & Innovative Practices which finally contribute to

institutional quality.

Without the autonomy at the various stages in the system of higher education it will be difficult to

bring back the lost glory of higher education in India.

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* Founder Trustee & CEO, “Quality Plus”, Pune 411040 (MS)

{A charitable institute registered with Charity Commissioner, and functional in the domain of “Quality in the

System of Higher Education”.} ramesh@kasetwar.net 09850084264

References

1. Association of Indian Universities: Accountability and Autonomy in Higher Education. 1998

2. Association of Indian Universities: Excellence in Achieving Social Relevance in Higher

Education. 1993

3. Association of Indian Universities. Privatization of Higher Education 2003.

4. Report of the CABE: Jun 2005

5. Times of India, Dec 2014