Deemed University

Deemed university is a status of autonomy granted to high performing institutes and departments of various universities in India. It is granted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India. The UGC began in 1956 after Indian parliament passed the University Grants Commission Act "to make provision for the co-ordination and determination of standards in Universities and for that purpose, to establish a University Grants Commission." The deemed university status enables not just full autonomy in setting course work and syllabus of those institutes and research centers, but also allows it to set its own guidelines for the admissions, fees, and instructions to the students. The parent universities of these deemed universities cannot control its administration, though the degrees of deemed universities are awarded by the parent universities. However, many deemed universities are allowed to award degrees under their own name. Deemed University are not approved universities as per University Grant Commission guidelines only official approved universities are formal Universities. Deemed University is colloquial term being used for informal education system that exist outside UGC approved formal education system promoted by the private limited education institutes with financial and operational autonomy. But most deemed universities are also affiliated to the University Grants Commission and the All India Council of Technical Education. Universities having deemed university status are known and recognized for their quality education. The UGC Act and the Regulations. According to Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 Application of Act to institutions for higher studies other than Universities. The Central Government may, on the advice of the Commission, declare, by notification in the Official Gazette, that any institution for higher education, other than a University, shall be deemed to be a University for the purposes of this Act, and on such a declaration being made, all the provisions of this Act shall apply to such institution as if it were a University within the meaning of clause (f) of section 2. and Section 2 clause (f) states "University" means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act, and includes any such institution as may, in consultation with the University concerned, be recognized by the Commission in accordance with the regulations made in this behalf under this Act. The UGC Act doesn`t seem to provide any clear definition of a deemed university.