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(2019-2021), a record six private managements claim that government admonishing private universities for
universities were approved by the members of BoGs don’t respond to failing to include government rep-
state legislative assembly followed board meeting invitations despite resentatives in their BoGs is to pull
by another six during the 21-month being reminded several times. “We rank on them. With student enroll-
chief ministership of Basavaraj have no qualms about inviting repre- ment in Karnataka’s private univer-
Bommai. In sum, 15 of the 25 private sentatives of government to our BoG sities rising rapidly, many of them
universities operational statewide meetings. For all previous meetings, have quickly established national
have been sanctioned by the BJP we have a record of communications reputations. The state government’s
government. sent to the principal-secretary. But complaint against private universi-
“State government legislation there’s seldom any response from the ties which are already grappling with
under which private universities are higher education department. One of rules and regulations of an alphabet
established mandates inclusion of the major challenges private univer- soup of government regulators in-
representatives from the higher edu- sities face is that there is no response cluding the UGC, AICTE — and more
cation department in BoGs. When- to communications sent to govern- to come under the National Educa-
ever there is a BoG meeting, it’s an ment. Secondly, we are not kept in tion Policy 2020 — is to find fault
unsaid mandate that all members of the loop about new appointments, and remind them who’s the boss.
the board are to be invited. The Acts promotions or transfers which makes Instead the priority of the newly
clearly empower government repre- it challenging for us to keep track of elected Congress government should
sentatives to monitor the function- who to invite. Unlike the other mem- be upgradation of state government
ing of private universities through bers of the board, there is a constant universities, rather than nit-pick
representation on BoGs,” says Prof. change in government representa- about private universities which ac-
B. Thimme Gowda, former chair- tives,” says an official spokesperson cording to all reports, are doing fine
man of the Karnataka State Higher of St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru without government representatives
Education Council. (estb.2022). attending their board meetings.
However, private university Clearly, the intent of the circular Reshma Ravishanker (Bengaluru)

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