<p>Various universities, including Gujarat University, submitted representations seeking amendments to the statutes, as ordinances</p> — Various universities, including Gujarat University, submitted representations seeking amendments to the statutes, as ordinances

Ahmedabad: As effective uniformity in the functioning of state-run universities remains a challenge despite the introduction of the Gujarat Public Universities Act, 2023, the state education department has constituted a fresh 13-member committee led by the education minister.

Statutes were framed under the Act, but inconsistencies emerged among different universities, leading to administrative and operational challenges.

Various universities, including Gujarat University, submitted representations seeking amendments to the statutes, as ordinances — on which day-to-day university administration depends — are formulated based on these statutes. Earlier, the govt had constituted a committee to suggest amendments, but the move faced strong opposition as the panel included only principals of govt colleges, while professors and principals from grant-in-aid colleges were excluded.

The new 13-member panel has been formed to ensure effective implementation of the New Education Policy and to recommend necessary amendments to the Gujarat Public University Statutes, 2024. Members include the additional chief secretary (education), commissioner of higher education, commissioner of technical education, joint commissioner, senior superintendent of the university branch, and other officials who will serve ex-officio.

The committee also includes two vice-chancellors — Junagadh University vice-chancellor Pratapsinh Chauhan and Bhavnagar University vice-chancellor Dr Bharat Ramanuj M. Additionally, representatives from Gujarat Sahitya Akademi, the registrar of North Gujarat University, the principal of a law college in Jamnagar, and a professor from P T Sarvajanik College of Science, Surat, were appointed.