Evening Courses at Public Univs: UGC wants an end to it

The University Grants Commission has said in its latest annual report that it wants closure of evening, weekend and executive courses at public universities as they negatively impact universities' image.

UGC officials said these courses were not regulated and were being operated for commercial purposes.

In the report the UGC also recommended greater consistency in tuition and other fees of private universities.

It also suggested preparing a blended education model that combines online and in-person classes and changing the exam process in line with the hybrid model.

In its "Annual Report 2020", the UGC has made a set of recommendations, including increasing budgetary allocation for higher education.

It said that at least two percent of the national budget should be allocated for higher education by 2022 and six percent by 2030.

The government currently allocates 0.87 percent of the national budget for higher education.

A delegation of UGC led by Chairman Prof Kazi Shahidullah submitted the report to President Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban yesterday evening and made a set of recommendations, UGC Member Prof Muhammed Alamgir told The Daily Star.

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"Many public universities are running evening, weekend and executive courses for graduation and post-graduation courses. It is important to close these courses as it is hampering the character of universities and damaging their image," the annual report said.

It, however, said universities can run diploma, short courses and vocational training, after taking approval from UGC and following specific policies.

"Many universities are running these evening, weekend and executive courses for commercial purposes and they were not regulated. They are doing all these according at the whims," UGC Chairman Kazi Shahidullah said.

He said these courses were being opened randomly and in some cases departments that were opened just two years ago were operating weekend, evening courses.

"We are for allowing courses that will operate for academic purposes and are well regulated," Shahidullah said.

A UGC member said they are in favour of closure of courses that are being run due to profiteering motives.

"We are putting emphasis on several issues in the report including the evening, weekend and executive courses," he said.

The UGC report also called for rationalising of tuition and others fees at private universities as there is inconsistency and huge differences from one university to the other, UGC Member Professor Biswajit Chanda said.

In many cases there is a huge difference in tuition fees of the same subject between two universities. "There could be some difference, but if a university takes Tk 4 lakh for a course and another takes Tk 8 or 9 lakh as tuition fee for the same subject, that is a huge gap," he said.

The UGC report said it is a matter of concern that allegations of plagiarism in research are increasing. It proposed having a specific guideline to stop plagiarism in research and increasing use of software to stop it.

It suggested establishing a Central Research Laboratory and National Research Council with government funds. It also recommended setting up University Teachers Training Academy to create qualified teachers.

The regulatory body also called for revising the Private University Act, 2010, under which the private universities run, to bring it up to date.

UGC members said the president urged all to ensure quality of education at all universities and ensure that all private universities remain accountable.

"He [president] also called for framing an umbrella act for all universities in place of separate laws for each public university.

"He also advised for formation of a policy to appoint vice-chancellors at public universities barring the four leading universities [Dhaka university, Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University and Chittagong University]," said a UGC member.

According to the UGC report, there are 157 universities -- 50 public and 107 private. Among these, four public and eight private universities are yet to start academic activities.

There are 46.9 lakh students in higher education, 3.28 lakh of whom are in private universities.