Page 44 - EW April 2024_Neat

Cover Story

INDIA’S BEST PRIVATE

AUTONOMOUS ASC COLLEGES

Since 1986 when the
Delhi-based University
Grants Commission
(UGC) introduced a
‘Scheme for Autonomous
Colleges’, their number
has grown to 979. Of them
the majority — 786 — are
privately promoted and
managed

ay back in 1986, the
National Policy on
Education (1986-92)
Wmooted the idea of St. Xavier, Mumbai’s Dr. Rajendra Shinde (centre): autonomy advantages
autonomous colleges under which se-
lected highly-reputed colleges affiliat- grammes; devise independent per- riculum and pedagogy, placements
ed with state government universities formance evaluation systems; conduct and leadership.
should be conferred academic and ad- examinations and notify results — has “I am not surprised that SXCM is
ministrative autonomy. Subsequently, transformed private autonomous col- ranked India’s #1 private autonomous
while accepting that the system of uni- leges into benchmark national role college for the fifth consecutive year,
versities affiliating 500-700 colleges model institutions. reinforcing our position as the coun-
had become too “unwieldy”, the apex Therefore in 2020, to avoid apples try’s leading undergrad education
Delhi-based University Grants Com- and oranges type comparisons, the institution. We have rich experience
mission (UGC) introduced a ‘Scheme broad category of Arts, Science and of recruiting and developing excel-
for Autonomous Colleges’. Over the Commerce (ASC) colleges in EWIHER lent faculty to deliver high quality
next 17 years, 140 colleges, which in was sub-divided into private autono- globally comparable undergrad and
the commission’s opinion had a good mous, government autonomous and postgrad academic and co-curricular
track record of higher education de- non-autonomous institutions. education. That’s why your respon-
livery and had been awarded top A Since this categorization, the league dents have awarded us top scores on
grading by the National Assessment table of India’s best private autono- the important parameters of faculty
& Accreditation Council (NAAC), were mous colleges has been dominated competence, curriculum and pedago-
conferred autonomous status. by St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai gy, placements, and leadership. Last
Since then, the number of au- (SXCM, estb.1869). This year is no year, we were conferred the status of
tonomous colleges has grown to 979 different. The 2,100 knowledgeable Empowered Autonomous College by
as on June 12, 2023 (2.1 percent of sample respondents comprising high- Mumbai University,” says Dr. Ra-
the 45,473 colleges countrywide). Of er education faculty, students and in- jendra Shinde, appointed the first
them, the majority — 786 — are pri- dustry representatives interviewed by non-Jesuit order principal of the vin-
vately promoted and managed. The Bengaluru-based AZ Research Part- tage SXCM in 2015.
award of autonomous status and ners Pvt. Ltd have once again ranked According to Shinde, autonomous
associated privileges — freedom to SXCM India’s #1 private autonomous status has enabled SXCM to contem-
draw up independent syllabi and cur- college with top scores under the pa- porise curriculums, pedagogies and
riculums; introduce new study pro- rameters of faculty competence, cur- assessment systems. “Autonomy has

44 EDUCATIONWORLD APRIL 2024