GOVERNMENT OF PUDUCHERRY
CHIEF SECRETARIAT (EDUCATION)
(G.O. Ms. No. 112, dated 20th October 2014)
ORDER
The Lieutenant-Governor, Puducherry is pleased to order the formation of
“The Puducherry State Higher Education Council” for the active participation in the
“Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan” (RUSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of
the Ministry of Human Resource Development, New Delhi, which seeks to improve
overall quality of State Higher Educational Institution by ensuring their conformity to
prescribe norms and standards and adaptation of accreditation as a mandatory quality
assurance framework and which would enable reforms in the affiliating system and
governance, academic and examination reforms in the State Higher Educational
Institutions.
2. The State Higher Educational Council (SHEC) is supported by the Project
Directorate headed by the Secretary to Government and the State Technical Support
Group (TSG). The SHEC is directly responsible for management, coordination,
implementation and monitoring of the project at the Union Territory level.
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| 28 {
No.
102 Poudouchéry
Mardi
28
Octobre
2014
(6 Kartika 1936)
No.
Puducherry
Tuesday
28th
October
2014
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3. The composition of the State Higher Education Council, the Search-cum-
Selection Process of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and other Members of the Council,
the Powers and Functions of the Council, the Composition and Functions of the State
Project Directorate and Technical Support Group and the Institution level Project
implementation arrangement, are as detailed in the Annexure appended to this order.
4. This issues with the concurrence of the Finance Department vide their
U.O. No. 2335/F4/2014, dated 10-10-2014.
(By order of the Lieutenant-Governor)
M. GUNASEKARAN,
Under Secretary to Government (Education).
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ANNEXURE
1. Composition of the State Higher Education Council :
The composition of State Councils should reflect the needs and diversity of
States for planning and requirement in the higher education sector. Given below is
the description of the broad contours of the recommended institutional architecture
of State Councils of Higher Education. The State Higher Education Council should
consist of fifteen to twenty-five members; each with a term of 6 years, of whom
one-third will retire every two years.
The composition of the Puducherry State Higher Education Council is
as follows:—
(1) Chairman : Preferably an eminent academic/public intellectual with
proven leadership qualities.
(2) Vice-Chairman : Must be an eminent academic administrator with
proven record (rank of a Professor) in case the Chair is a non-academic person.
In other cases it could be a professional from industry, etc., with sufficient experience
in the sector.
(3) Member-Secretary : An eminent academic of the rank of Professor-
Chief Executive.
(4) State Project Director.
(5) Ten to fifteen members, individuals representing fields of arts, science
and technology, culture, civil society and industry and vocational education and skill
development.
(6) Three Vice-Chancellors of State Universities and two Principals of
autonomous/affiliated colleges.
(7) One nominee of the Government of India.
At any point in time, seven members of the Council should be from the
State and three members must be individuals of National eminence (outside the State).
Each member will have a term of 6 years; 1/3rd of the members will retire
every 2 years.
The existing Council will nominate 3 new members every 2 years.
The Council must meet at least once in every quarter. The quorum for the
Council meetings shall be 1/3rd of the strength, including the Chairman and
Member-Secretary.
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TERMS OF REFERECES OF PUDUCHERRY STATE HIGHER
EDUCATION COUNCIL
Formation of Councils under RUSA – States without existing State
Higher Education Council
The first Council will be appointed by a five-member selection committee to
be appointed by the State, whose the members must be :
2 eminent scientists/social scientists.
1 former Vice-Chancellor of a State University.
1 former Director of Institute of National repute within or outside the State.
1 former Vice-Chancellor of a Central University.
When the Council is constituted for the first time, initially, one-third of the
Board members (i.e. six members) should be given one non-renewable term of
six years. Another one-third should be given a four year term and the remaining
one-third would be given a term of two years.
2. Search-cum-Selection Process:
Chairman will be selected by a committee consisting of Chief Minister of
the State, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Leader of the Opposition on the basis
of a recommendation of shortlisted candidates made by a Search-cum-Selection
Committee.
The Search-cum-Selection Committee will be three member committee of
very eminent academic/public intellectual with proven record and integrity. The State
Council will nominate two members while the State will nominate one and the State
nominee will be the Chair.
The Chairman will have one non-extendable term of five years. The
removal of the Chief Executive will be through a vote of non-confidence expressed
by at least 2/3rd numbers present and voting with a quorum of 3/4th members.
Vice-Chairman : A search committee of three members will appoint the
Vice-Chairman.
The committee will consist of the Chairman of the Council (as a Chair)
and two other members one nominated by the State Council and one by the
Government. The Vice-Chairman will have one non-extendable term of five years.
The Vice-Chairman may be removed by the Chairman on the recommendation of the
Council.
Member-Secretary : A search committee of three members will appoint
the Member-Secretary.
The committee will consist of the Chairman of the Council (as a Chair)
and two other members one nominated by the State Council and one by the
Government. The Member-Secretary will have one non-extendable term of five years.
The Member-Secretary may be removed by the Chairman on the recommendation of
the Council.
Members of the Council : At any point in time, seven members of the
Council should be from the State and three members must be individuals of National
eminence (outside the State). Each member will have a term of 6 years; 1/3rd of the
members will retire every 2 years. The existing Council will nominate 3 new members
every 2 years.
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Secretariat and Administrative Staff : The Council must have its own
Secretariat and Administrative Staff. The staff will not be permanent to the Council
but, brought on deputation from other institutions and State Government (for a
maximum period of 5 years). Suitable talent may be drawn from the system or the
industry and compensated adequately.
3. The powers and functions of State Higher Education Council :
Strategy and planning
(1) Preparing the State Higher Education Plan (Perspective Plan, Annual
Plan and Budget Plan).
(2) Providing State institutions inputs for creating their plans and
implementing them.
(3) Coordination between apex bodies, regulatory institutions and
Government.
Monitoring and evaluation
(4) Monitoring the implementation of State Higher Education Plan.
(5) Creating and maintaining the Management Information Systems.
(6) Compiling and maintaining periodic statistics at State and Institutional
level.
(7) Evaluating State Institutions on the basis of norms and KPIs
developed under RUSA (the Council may, for its own use, develop
additional norms as it seems fit).
Quality assurance and academic functions
(8) Faculty quality enhancement initiatives.
(9) Quality of examinations.
(10) Maintaining quality of curriculum.
(11) Promoting innovation in research.
(12) Protecting the autonomy of State institutions.
(13) Providing approval to setting up new institutions/colleges.
(14) Accreditation reforms.
Advisory functions
(15) Advising State Government on strategic investments in higher
education.
(16) Advising Universities on statute and ordinance formulation.
Funding function
(17) Funds managed by the SHEC will include funds from RUSA as well
as the State share, both of which will flow through the State
Government.
(18) Determine the methodology for timely transfer of State's share funds
to institutions.
(19) Disburse funds to State universities and colleges on the basis of the
State Higher Education Plan and transparent norms.
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4. State Project Directorate (SPD):
(i) Composition : The SPD will consist of State Project Director and such
adequate support staff as may be required for the effective functioning of
the State Project Directorate.
The State Project Director must be Senior Officer of the rank of
Commissioner/ Secretary to State Government.
(ii) Functions : The SPD will perform the following functions–
* Overseeing project implementation at the State level;
* Maintain statistical data and MIS reports; and
* Engage Project Auditors as required.
Technical Support Group (State)
(i) Composition : The State Council may appoint and decide the
composition of TSG (State).
(ii) Functions : The following functions will be performed by the TSG :
* Monitor flow of funds and information;
* Generate MIS reports as required; and
* Provide all operational support to the SHEC.
5. The project at the Institutional level will be managed by two bodies; the
Board of Governors (BoG) and a Project Monitoring Unit.
Board of Governors
(i) Composition : Each institution will necessarily have its own Board of
Governors as per the State Universities Act or as per the guidelines issued
by regulatory bodies as the case may be, to be either appointed by the
sponsoring Government or by itself through due procedure.
* Take all policy decisions with regard to smooth, cost effective and
timely implementation of the institutional project;
* Form, supervise and guide various committees required for project
implementation and internal project monitoring;
* Ensure overall faculty development;
* Enable implementation of all academic and non-academic institutional
reforms;
* Ensure proper utilisation of project fund and timely submission of
Financial Management Reports (FMRs) and Utilisation Certificates;
* Ensure compliance with the agreed procedures for procurement of
goods, works and services and financial management;
* Ensure compliance with other fiduciary requirements under the
project such as Access, Equity and Excellence Assurance
Plan (EAP), and Disclosure Management Framework (DMF); and
* Monitor progress in the carrying out of all the proposed activities,
resolve bottlenecks and enable the Institution to achieve targets for
all key indicators.
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Project Monitoring Unit : Each institution will form a Project Monitoring
Unit with appropriate representation from academic officials of the institution, faculty,
senior administrative officers, technical and non-technical support staff and students.
The Unit, headed by the Head of the Institution will be responsible for monitoring of
the project at the institutional level in order to implement the governance reforms
proposed under RUSA.
The Project Monitoring Unit will perform the following roles :
* Procurement of goods, works and services;
* Financial management;
* Implementation of faculty and staff development activities and
programs;
* Monitoring project implementation;
* Achievement of targets for all indicators as proposed and keeping
MIS updated; and
* Organising efficient conduct of monitoring and performance
audits, etc.
6. The formation of Puducherry State Higher Education Council is the
pre-requisite for the participation in the Centrally Sponsored Scheme viz., “Rashtriya
Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan” (RUSA) which provides funds in the pattern of 65 : 35
of the CSS every financial year. The guidelines prescribed for the implementation of
CSS shall be strictly adhered. The maintenance of the State Higher Education Council
shall be met from the funds allocated under RUSA Scheme as per the guidelines.
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