C V RAMAN COLLEGE Vs. STATE OF ORISSA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition has been filed challenging the inaction of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT for short) in not implementing the decision of the University Grant Commission ('UGC for short), granting autonomous status to the petitioner College and not taking necessary action in that regard. The petitioner also assails the decision of the State Government not to accord autonomous status to the petitioner College.

(2.) The brief facts as detailed in the writ petition is that the UGC-opposite party No. 3 under its Xlth Plan Guidelines (Annexure-' 1), prepared a Scheme of Autonomous College to increase the number of autonomous colleges in the country, with a target to make 10% of eligible colleges autonomous by the end of XIth Plan period i.e, 2007-2012. In terms of the said guidelines of UGC, the petitioner College submitted its proposal for autonomous status from the academic session 2010-11, in the prescribed format, duly signed and recommended by the Registrar, BPUT, to the Secretary, UGC, vide its letter dated 18-1-2010 (Annexure-2).

(3.) On receipt of the proposal from the petitioner College for grant of autonomous status, the UGC vide its letters dated 23-4-2010 intimated BPUT and the State Government that the UGC has constituted an Expert Committee consisting of three members to evaluate the performance and academic attainments for conferment of autonomous status to the petitioner College. Accordingly, both BPUT and the State Government were requested to nominate their respective nominee to be members of the Expert Committee. In the said letters of the UGC addressed to BPUT and the State Government it was clearly mentioned that if the State Government fails to provide its nominee within 90 days after issue of letter, the Expert Committee may go ahead with the process to evaluate the performance and academic attainments for conferment of autonomous status to the petitioner College. Copy of the said letters were marked to the petitioner College with the request to pursue the matter with the State Government, as per Annexures-3 and 4 to the writ petition.