The Central Government had constituted a Committee of Experts to review the functioning of the existing institutions ‘deemed-to-be-universities’ vide its notification No. F.9-26/2009-U3A dated 6/7/2009 so as to satisfy itself of the justification of their continuance as institutions ‘deemed to be universities’.

The Review Committee (i.e., the Committee of Experts) had submitted its Report to the Government on 20/10/2009 which was accepted, in principle, by the Government.

The Review Committee had, after assessment of the institutions deemed to be universities, placed 44 institutions in the category of institutions which on an aggregate were found to be deficient in some aspects which need to be rectified over a three year period for them to transit into the category of ‘institutions satisfying most of the criteria for the Deemed University status’.Deficiencies found in these institutions vis-à-vis the parameters used in the Review are already available in the public domain in the website of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

The issues regarding expansion of these institutions can be considered by the Government only when these institutions rectify the deficiencies found in the Review within the stipulated period of three years from the date of the Report, as otherwise, expansion of such institutions would further enhance their deficiencies.

Some of the above-mentioned institutions deemed to be universities have represented claiming to have overcome the deficiencies within the stipulated period three years.

In order to assess whether, and if so how, the deficiencies have been rectified by these institutions within the prescribed timeframe as mentioned in the Report of the Review Committee, the Government would require the advice of the Task Force as the deficiencies were found in these institutions, by the Review Committee (which consisted of the same members as that of the Task Force mentioned in the following para).

The Government has constituted the Task Force comprising the following experts to examine applications from institutions deemed to be universities so as to assess whether deficiencies pointed out in the Review have been overcome by these institutions and whether the institutions are eligible to continue as institutions deemed to be universities, and advise the Government accordingly:

i) Prof. P.N. Tandon, Professor Emiretus Department of Neurosurgery AIIMS New Delhi - Member

ii) Prof. Goverdhan Mehta, National research professor and Lilly Jubilant Chair, University of Hyderabad - Member

iii) Prof. Anandakrishnan, Chairman IIT Kanpur - Member

iv) Prof. Mrinal Miri, Former Vice Chancellor NEHU -Member

The frequency of the meetings and procedure to be adopted including venue, etc. shall be left to the Task Force itself, provided that it meets as often as it can and well within the stipulated period of three years from the date of submission of the Report.

The entire process of the aforementioned examination shall be video-recorded live and the findings of the Task Force shall be put in the public domain on the Ministry’s website in addition to informing the applicants individually.