Deemed universities are found only in India, and are institutions of higher studies other than universities that have been set up following due formalities. Many students do not know the difference between a University and a deemed University and remain confused whether they should take up admission in a deemed university or not. This article attempts to clarify these differences to enable readers to make an informed choice.
There is University Grants Commission in India, which was set up by the government of India, as an autonomous body to look after the affairs of higher studies and universities in India. There is this UGC Act of 1956 that empowers that government of India to grant the status of deemed university upon any institute of higher studies (upon the advice of UGC of course). This deemed university is, for all intents and purposes, a university in the eyes of the government that treats it on par with a university that has been set up following due formalities. UGC came into existence in 1956, and its main purpose is to coordinate the activities of universities and determine the standards of institutes of higher studies.
The main benefit of deemed university status for an institute of higher studies is that it gets full autonomy in setting course and curriculum as well as syllabus. The institute also gets a free hand in setting up its independent fee structure, not to speak of liberty to set up guidelines for admissions, as well as instructions for imparting education to students.
Talking of differences between a university and a deemed university; it was the desire of the government to accord the status of the university upon deserving institutes so as to make available options to students as there were few universities in India. Setting up a university requires passing of an act in the parliament or the legislative assembly of the state and requires following many other formalities (not to speak of a huge amount of money required in setting up a university). According the status of deemed university to an institute is beneficial both for the institute as well as the government. It makes an institute rise higher in the eyes of students as it then needs no affiliation with a university, and can award degrees under its own name. One key prerequisite for an institute to become a deemed university is to stop being a purely teaching institute and introduce research facilities.
More than a hundred institutions of higher studies have been awarded the status of deemed university in the last 55 years since UGC came into existence.
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What is the difference between Deemed University and University? • Universities are established by an act of the parliament or state assemblies, whereas deemed universities are those institutes of higher studies that are accorded this status by the government of India on the recommendation of UGC • Essentially, there is no difference between deemed universities and universities. Deemed universities also can award degrees under their own name, and are free to set up their course, admission criteria, and fee structure like other universities. |