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Assam State Higher Education Council Act, 2017

(Assam Act No. 21 of 2017)

Last Updated 12th February, 2020 [ass320]

(a) "Council" means the Assam State Higher Education Council established under section 3 of this Act;

(b) "Government" means the State Government of Assam;

(c) "General Council" means the plenary body of the council headed by the Chief Minister of State of Assam under section 8;

(d) "Executive Council" means the body under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Assam under section20;

(e) "Director" means the Director of the Council appointed by the Government of Assam;

(f) "Officer and staff" means all whole time and part time functionaries of the Council engaged in any manner or taken on deputation and would include consultants, fellows and research staff;

(g) "Graduation" shall mean the courses of three years General Degree courses and four years Technical Degree courses;

(h) "Post Graduate" shall means the courses of Master Degree;

(i) "Higher Education" means education, whether professional, technical or otherwise leading to the obtaining of any degree or diploma from the University;

(j) "Provincialised Colleges" means those Colleges for which the Government has taken liabilities for payment of salaries including dearness allowances, medical allowances and such other allowances admissible to the Government employees of similar category and gratuity, pension, leave encashment etc. as admissible under the existing rules, to the employees of the State Government serving under the Government of Assam;

(k) "Principal" means the head of the teaching as well as non-teaching staff of a college;

(l) "regulations' means the regulations framed by the Council under this Act;

(m) "rules" means rules made by State Government under this Act;

(n) "Notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette;

(o) "prescribed" means prescribed by the rules made under this Act;

(p) "State" means the State of Assam.

(1) Strategic intervention for the improvement of access, equity and quality in higher education in the State;

(2) Ensuring the autonomy and accountability of all Institutions of Higher Education in the State;

(3) Promoting academic excellence and social justice by providing academic input to the State Government for policy formulation and perspective planning;

(4) Guiding the growth of Higher Education in accordance with the socio-economic requirements of the State;

(5) To render advice to the Government, State Universities, Private Universities and other institution of Higher Education in the State;

(6) To coordinate the roles of the Government, State Universities, Private Universities and apex level regulatory agencies in Higher Education within the State;

(7) To provide common facilities in Higher Education without impairing upon the autonomy of other institutions of Higher Education.

(1) Review and coordinate the implementation of policies in all Higher Education Institutions in the State of Assam including Universities, Research Institutions and Colleges;

(2) Network various programmes in Higher Education undertaken and promoted by National and International Institutions including Central and State Governments and by National level regulatory bodies like University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education, National Council for Teacher Education, Medical Council of India, Bar Council of India and other similar statutory bodies;

(3) Undertake independent work for the generation and dissemination of new ideas in Higher Education including innovative teaching and learning methodologies with the use of State-of-the-Art Technology;

(4) Provide common facilities for all Universities, Research Institutions, Colleges and other centers of Higher Education;

(5) Facilitate scientific survey, evaluation and monitoring process and to provide for the generation and optimum utilization of funds for the expansion and development of Higher Education;

(6) Undertake such other programmes for promoting the objectives of social justice and excellence in education;

(7) Formulate and evolve State Higher Education Plan (SHEP) for the development of higher education, suo moto or on the suggestion from Government or request from State Universities or other Institutions;

(8) Provide support to State Institutions and affiliated institutions for formulation production of their plans and implementing them;

(9) Monitor the implementation of State Higher Education Plan;

(10) Compile and maintain periodic statistics at state and institutional level and assist in All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE);

(11) Evaluate Institutions on the basis of norms developed by national level higher education agencies;

(12) Suggest improvements in curriculum and syllabus in accordance with the changing societies and academic requirements and also maintain quality of curriculum;

(13) To ensure quality of examinations and suggest reforms in examination;

(14) Undertake necessary steps for establishing inter-linkage between research and learning process;

(15) Protect the autonomy of State Institutions and review periodically the statutes, ordinances and regulations of the Universities in the State and suggest appropriate improvement for the realization of the objects of social justice and academic excellence in education, and advise the universities or other institute of higher education on formulation of statute, ordinance or regulations;

(16) Provide approval to setting up new institutions of higher education;

(17) Suggest accreditation reform measures in consultation with National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC);

(18) Advise State Government on strategic investments in higher education;

(19) Evolve guidelines for linkages of an academic nature between higher education institutions in the State and institutions within and outside the country;

(20) Make proposals for the generation and utilization of funds with the objective of this Act;

(21) Evolve general guidelines for the release of grants by the Government or any agency authorized by the Government and disburse funds to the Universities and Colleges on the basis of State Higher Education Plan (SHEP);

(22) Evolve methodology for timely transfer of the funds earmarked for the State Universities and other institution of higher education;

(23) Hold discussions, conduct workshops, seminars with the objective of facilitating the widest possible consultancies with experts and stakeholders for formulating the polices and on higher education and facilitating proper implementation;

(24) Provide a forum for the interaction among the academia, industries, agriculture and science sectors;

(25) Co-ordinate various programmes being promoted and undertaken by Central and State Government and national level apex regulatory bodies in the territory of India.

(1) General Functions:- The Council shall,-

(a) The Council shall render advice to the Government, Universities and other institutions of higher education in the State;

(b) co-ordinate the roles of the Government, Universities and apex regulatory agencies in higher education within the State;

(c) evolve new concepts, programmes and perspective plans for development of Higher Education as required or on the suggestion by the Government or requests from Universities or other institutions of the State;

(d) monitor the progress of implementation of the Developmental Programmes of the Universities and Colleges taken up in the State with the assistance of Regulatory Agencies/ Expert Bodies;

(e) promote co-operation and co-ordination among the educational institutions and explore the scope for interaction with industry and other related establishments;

(f) prepare an annual report making self-appraisal and showing details of its performance;

(g) suggest measures for the academic and financial accountability of the Universities and other institutions of higher education in the State;

(h) examine and approve the annual budget and' the audited statement of receipt and expenditure in such manner as may be prescribed;

(2) Academic Functions:- The Council shall,-

(a) encourage and promote innovation in curricular development, restructuring of courses and updating of syllabi in the Universities and the colleges;

(b) co-ordinate the programmes of autonomous colleges and monitor their implementation;

(c) devise steps to improve the standard of examinations conducted by the universities, autonomous bodies and suggest necessary reforms;

(d) facilitate training of teachers of the universities and colleges

(e) promote and monitor publication of quality text books, monographs and reference books, etc.

(f) develop programmes for greater academic co-operation and interaction between university and college teachers and facilitate mobility of students and teachers within and outside the State;

(g) advice on regulation of admission in universities, colleges and institutions of Higher Education in the State;

(h) encourage and devise programmes for sports, games, physical education and socio-cultural activities in the universities and colleges;

(i) review periodically the existing guidelines and furnish recommendations for regulating admissions to various courses and for appointments to the posts of teachers and teacher administrators in the universities, colleges and other institutions of higher education;

(j) prepare an overview report on the working of the universities and colleges in the State and furnish a copy thereof to the Government and such other authorities as the Government may specify;

(k) perform such other functions for the realization of the objectives of access, equity and quality in higher education of the State;

(3) Advisory Functions: - The Council shall advise the Government,-

(a) regarding the norms, if any, relating to the establishment of new universities and colleges besides introduction of additional subjects and departments in the existing universities and colleges;

(b) regarding the Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of universities in the State and to suggest modification wherever required to maintain uniformity in the administration without prejudice to the autonomy for the academic pursuits;

(c) on any university, college or institutions of Higher Education or any other matter relating to higher education and research activity which may be referred to the Council;

(d) In determining the infrastructure maintenance grants and to lay down the basis for such grants;

(4) Any other Functions:- The Council shall perform any other functions necessary for the furtherance of Higher Education in the State.

(a) prepare a perspective plan for implementation of the policies, evolve various programmes and determine the priorities of such programmes for implementation;

(b) propose general guidelines for the release of grants by the Government to universities and other institutions of higher education and advise the Government about the release of such grants to each university and other institutions of higher education;

(c) give such directions as may be necessary for effective functioning of the other bodies of the Council in accordance with its objectives;

(d) have such other powers as may be prescribed for the effective implementation of the programmes for the furtherance of the objectives of this Act.

(a) to call for report on any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Council and offer suggestions for overall improvement of the functioning of the Council.

(b) to preside over all meetings of the Council.

(a) to preside over the meetings of the Council in the absence of the Chairman;

(b) to call for report in any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Council as may appear to him to be necessary;

(c) to exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be assigned by the General Council and/or the Chairman, as the case may be;

(d) to exercise powers of superintendence /monitoring in all matters of functioning of the Council.

(1) The Director or any Member, may in writing under his/her signature, addressing to the Chairman, resign his/ her membership to the Council:

(2) The salaries, allowances and other perquisites payable to the Director and other Office bearers shall be finalized by the General Council with the approval of the Government.

(3) Subject to the pleasure of the Government, the Director shall hold the office for a term of five years or till the expiry of the term of the body represented by him whichever is earlier.

(4) The other terms and conditions of service of the Director and Members shall be such as may be specified in the regulations.

(1) The Executive Council shall be competent to take decisions on behalf of the General Council, subject to the concurrence of the General Council in urgent matters relating to policy implications:

(2) The Executive Council shall incur such expenses as may be necessary to fulfill the objectives of the Assam State Higher Education Council and carry out all decision taken by the General Council.

(3) The Executive Council shall present before the General Council an Annual Budget and Academic and Financial Audit report of the Council for its approval.

(4) The Executive Council shall have such other powers, functions and duties as may be specified in the regulations.

(1) The State Project Directorate shall be headed by the Director of the Council and such adequate support staff as may be required for the effective functioning of the State Project Directorate.

(2) The State Project Directorate shall:-

(i) oversee project implementation at the State level;

(ii) maintain statistical data ad Management Information System (MIS) report; and

(iii) engage Project Auditors as required.

(a) monitor flow of funds and information;

(b) generate Management Information System (MIS) reports as required; and

(c) provide operational support to the Council.