Madhusudan Law University granted state-varsity status by UGC; plans to offer PhD courses soon

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recognised Madhusudan Law University at Cuttack as a state-run varsity under section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956. The university is now empowered to award degrees as specified by the UGC under section 22 of the UGC Act by conducting courses through its own departments, its constituent and affiliated colleges in regular mode.

In a list of guidelines issued to the university, UGC has implored the varsity to ensure that off-campus study centres are not opened and no programmes are offered via franchising with private institutions. No open and distance learning programmes and online programmes can also be started without the prior recognition of UGC. Earlier this year on April 28, the state government had upgraded Madhusudan Law College to an affiliating university with jurisdiction over all law colleges, both government and private, in the state except constituent law colleges of other universities.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took to Twitter to inform that the law university has been included in the list of universities established under the UGC Act. “The Central government is committed to transforming the higher education landscape as per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in line with the NEP,” he said.

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Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Kamal Jeet Singh said the next step for the university would be to apply for inclusion under section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956 which makes a higher education institution eligible to receive central grants for research and development. “As per UGC norms, we cannot immediately apply for section 12(B) and have to wait for another four years to do so. We are very happy with the UGC 12(f) inclusion as it will open a lot of opportunities for the institution,” he said.

He informed that the academic council of the law university had, on October 7, approved plans to offer PhD courses and set up a chair on Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das. However, the VC said, the biggest roadblock for expansion plans is the lack of infrastructure.

“We are still housed in the old college where there is no space for opening new courses or enrolling more students. We have already approached the Odisha Police Housing Corporation for construction of another building of the university at Jobra and written to the state government to provide us with another 45 acre land for expansion,” he said.