Gujarat University becomes the first autonomous university in the state: UGC will be able to take decisions on its own after getting Category-II recognition, foreign professors will be appointed directly.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has granted recognition to Gujarat University (GU) as a UGC Category-II Graded Autonomous University. With this achievement, Gujarat University has become the first State University of Gujarat. Now the university will not have to take permission from UGC for starting new courses or preparing syllabus and will be able to take decisions on their own. In the coming days, it will be able to make necessary changes in the curriculum as well as vocational oriented, skill-based new programmes for students and direct appointment of foreign professors. Universities with good grades are given autonomy In-charge Vice-Chancellor of Gujarat University, Dr. Prof. Jagdish Joshi said that Gujarat University has secured a place in the prestigious 100 institutes of India for the past few years due to NEC A+ results. Therefore, on the basis of this grade, he applied for recognition as an autonomous university. Usually, according to the UGC rules, when a university has a good grade in rankings, it gets the status of autonomy. However, it is now the only university in Gujarat to have such an autonomous status. The administrative decision will be taken in consultation with the Authority without depending on UGC. If Gujarat University wants to start a department or school, it can also take a decision on its own. Permission to start new certificate, diploma and degree courses With the availability of Category-II graded autonomous, Gujarat University will now be able to start skill-based courses. Also, keeping in view the needs of the industry, new certificate, diploma and degree courses will also be allowed. The University will now be able to hire talented faculty and researchers from their own revenues and also hold contractual faculty as required. Moreover, this accreditation will also be important for enhancing academic cooperation with foreign universities and promoting internationalization. Opens doors to start Medical and Hospitality Management College The doors have also been opened for Gujarati University to start a medical college or a hospitality management college. Open and Distan School Learning has been empowered to start new courses and take a decision after consultation with university experts instead of UGC experts. Students of Gujarat will now be able to study in new courses at low cost According to the rules, so far, if a university wants to start a new course, it has to get the approval of the UGC. The course can be started only if UGC approves it. But it will be the first university in the state of Gujarat to start a new course in consultation with the authorities on its own without the approval of the UGC. So that students who go abroad or study in other states by paying expensive fees will be able to study in the courses required by the industry at Gujarat University at a low cost. So the students of Gujarat are going to benefit a lot from it. 70 foreign professors appointed, 20% foreign students admitted Dr. Jagdish Joshi said that the industry market complains that students are not ready for the industry. So we will work with the industry to start such courses as per their needs. IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Gandhinagar used to attract foreign professors to study in such big institutes. Until now, foreign students could not be given direct admission. But now with autonomy, we will be able to give direct admission to foreign students. We will be able to give direct admission to 20 per cent of foreign students of INTACH.