Section 3 of Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2024 — Amendment to Section 3

In the Principal Act, in Section 3,─

1. (a)in sub-section (2), after the words “members of the”, the word “Senate,” shall be inserted;
2. (b)in sub-section (5), after clause (f), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:– “(g)In addition to the above, the Universities should also do the following:─
   1. (i)to make provision for research and for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge, and generally to cultivate and promote the arts (including fine arts and performing arts), humanities, social sciences, accounts and commerce, pure and applied sciences, present and emerging technologies, managements, different forms of medicine, engineering, law, physical education and other branches of learning and culture and their multi- disciplinary and inter-disciplinary areas;
   2. (ii)to make provisions to enable conducted and affiliated or constituent colleges and recognised institutions to undertake specialised studies;
   3. (iii)to make provisions for creation of autonomous, empowered autonomous and empowered autonomous cluster of institutions;
   4. (iv)to organise, maintain and manage university departments, schools, institutions, laboratories, learning resource centres, libraries, museums and equipment for teaching, learning, training, research and development or extension;
   5. (v)to establish, maintain and manage departments, institutions of research, institutions of specialised studies or academic services unit;
   6. (vi)to establish, maintain and manage constituent, community and conducted colleges, institutions, hostels, health centres, auditoria and gymnasiums;
   7. (vii)to provide for establishment, on the university campus and Sub- Campuses, of autonomous institutions like multi-university and inter- university centres, research laboratories, modern instrumentation centres and like centres of learning, set-up by the University Grants Commission
3. (UGC), the Central Government or the State Government, teaching or learning or training colleges or institutions at local, regional, national and global level, which may be used by the university or college or group of universities or colleges: Provided that, in the case of any industry or any non-Government organization availing themselves of such facility of a university or such organizations providing the facility to a university, prior approval of the State Government shall be obtained by the university concerned;
   1. (viii)to provide for establishment of sub-campuses for serving a group of colleges, and also to provide for and maintain common resource centres in such sub-campuses in the form of post-graduate departments, multi- disciplinary or inter-disciplinary schools, libraries, laboratories, computer centres and the like centres of learning and skills training, as per the guidelines laid down by the State Government or by the University Grants Commission (UGC);
   2. (ix)to appoint or recognise persons working in any other university or organisation as adjunct professors, adjunct associate professors, adjunct assistant professors, visiting professors of the university for specified periods;
   3. (x)to prescribe the courses of instruction and studies for the various examinations leading to specific degrees and diplomas or certificates;
   4. (xi)to make provision, wherever feasible, in the university departments, colleges, institutions, recognised institutions and schools, for survey and collection of statistics, data and other particulars relevant to various developmental activities including State and National plans, evaluation of the developmental schemes with the participation of the students as a part of their curricular activities;
   5. (xii)to institute degrees and post-graduate diplomas and post- highersecondary diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions on the basis of examinations or by other tests;
   6. (xii)to hold examinations or evaluations and confer degrees and post- graduate diplomas and award post-higher secondary diplomas and certificates and other academic distinctions on persons who, —
4. (a)unless exempted therefrom in the manner prescribed, have pursued approved courses of study in the university, or in a college or in an institution or a recognised institution or a school and have passed the examinations and earned the required credits or marks or grades prescribed by the university; or
5. (b)have pursued approved courses of study in the university, or in a college or in an institution or a recognised institution or in an autonomous college or an autonomous recognised institution or in empowered autonomous college or empowered autonomous cluster institutions or a school and have passed the examinations and earned the required credits or marks or grades prescribed by the university; or
6. (c)have engaged in research under conditions provided by Ordinances and Regulations;
   1. (xiv)to confer and award such degrees, diplomas and certificates to, and provide for such lectures, instruction and training for external students, and the students under correspondence and distance education, online and continuing education courses;
   2. (xv)to confer honorary degrees or other academic distinctions as prescribed by the Statutes in consultation with the State Government;
   3. (xvi)to monitor and evaluate the academic performance of university departments, university institutions, conducted colleges and of affiliated/constituent colleges, autonomous or empowered colleges in a stand-alone or cluster form and recognised institutions for affiliation or recognition, as the case may be, for periodical State, National and World accreditations/ rankings;
   4. (xvii)to inspect, where necessary, all types of colleges or institutions and recognised institutions through suitable machinery established for the purpose, and take measures to ensure that proper standards of instruction, teaching, learning, training and research, and extension are maintained by them and adequate library, class rooms, laboratory, hostel, workshop and other academic facilities are provided for; (xviii) to hold and to manage trusts and endowments and to institute and award fellowship, travelling fellowship, scholarship, studentship, medals and prizes for teachers and students of the university and colleges;
   5. (xix)to supervise, control and regulate the conduct and discipline of the students of the university, colleges, institutions, recognised institutions, schools and hostels;
   6. (xx)to provide for mobility of students from formal to non-formal stream and vice-versa, and also among the other universities in the State and outside the State;
7. (xxi)to make arrangements for promoting the healthy atmosphere, corporate life and welfare of the students of the university, colleges, schools and institutions;
8. (xxii)to co-ordinate and regulate teaching, learning, training and research and extension in the colleges and recognised institutions; (xxiii) to provide for periodical assessment of the performance of teachers and non-teaching employees in the colleges, institutions and university in accordance with the norms prescribed by the University Grants Commission
9. (UGC)or the State Government;
10. (xxiv)to regulate and provide for attendance of the teachers on the premises of the university or colleges or institutions during teaching hours and beyond teaching hours, as prescribed and to prohibit teachers from taking or conducting private tuitions or private coaching classes;
11. (xxv)to regulate and provide for attendance of the non-teaching employees on the premises of the university or colleges or institutions during working hours and beyond working hours, as prescribed;
12. (xxvi)to enforce conduct and discipline rules for teachers and non-teaching employees in a manner as prescribed;

1. (xxix)to make provision for participation of students with necessary incentives in, a.the national service scheme; b.the national cadet corps;

c. home guards and civil defence;

d.the national sports organisation; e.physical and military training; f.extra-mural teaching and research; g.programme related to Lifelong Learning and Extension; and h.any other programme, services or activities directed towards cultural, economic and social betterment as may be necessary and possible, to fulfil the objects of the university by the State Government or / and the Government of India.;

1. (xxx)to provide for special training or coaching for competitive examinations, for recruitment to the public services, public sector undertakings and other competitive employment opportunities;
2. (xxxi)to arrange periodical employment programme and to provide internship; (xxxii) to co-operate or collaborate with any other university, institution, authority or organisation for research and advisory services and for such purposes to enter into appropriate arrangement with other universities, institutions, authorities, or organisations to conduct certain courses as the situation may demand; (xxxiii) to recommend for rescinding or suspending affiliation or recognition or empowered status granted to colleges or institutions or cluster of institutions;

(xxxiv) to explore the possibilities of augmenting the resources of the university

by exploring or innovating activities such as research and development, consultancy, training programme and providing services for different clients from industry, trade or any other non-government organisations;

1. (xxxv)to undertake academic collaboration programme, research and advisory services with universities and institutions abroad, in a manner as prescribed. (xxxvi) to receive funds for collaborative programme from foreign agencies, subject to rules and regulations of the Central Government and the State Government in that behalf; (xxxvii) to create development corpus out of surplus that the university may generate through its teaching, learning, training, research, emerging technology, start up, innovations and development, consultancy and any other academic and support activities and to invest it in a professional manner and use the interest generated through it for the growth and development of academic, research and development, academic and physical infrastructure development and any other infrastructure; (xxxviii) to lay down for teachers and university teachers, such instructions or directions as, in the opinion of the university, may be necessary in academic matters; (xxxix) to undertake development programme in higher education, research, consultancy-based projects and training programme for outside agencies, by charging fees, so as to generate resources;

( XL) to make special provisions for the benefit of university education to be

made available to classes and communities which are socially and educationally backward;

1. (XLI)to make special provisions for such benefits of university education to be made available for women students and differently-abled students as the university may think necessary;
2. (XLII)to make special provisions for higher education in rural and tribal areas;

(XLIII) to take appropriate measures in order to increase the gross enrolment

ratio;

1. (XLIV)to implement the national literacy and adult education programme through teachers and students on voluntary basis in the university system and to evolve measures to give due weightage to the efforts and performance of the students in this area in addition to their normal academic performance and also to evaluate the performance of the teachers in this area;
2. (XLV)to promote by itself, or in co-operation with other universities or institutions , the study of Odia and the use of Odia as a medium of instruction, study, research and examination, in adherence to the policies of the State Government;
3. (XLVI)to promote by itself, or in co-operation with other universities or organisations, the study of regional, national and foreign languages in general and Asian languages in particular; (XLVII) to evolve an operational scheme for ensuring accountability of teachers, non-vocation academic and non-teaching staff of the university, institutions and colleges;

(XLVIII) to create knowledge and disseminate it and foster high quality research

which is contemporary, globally competitive and locally as well as regionally and nationally relevant;

1. (XLIX)to have a learner-centric approach and perform the role of being a knowledge creator;
2. (L)to strengthen education at under-graduate and post-graduate level, enhanceresearch develop culture and relevant degree programme and cultivate desire for entrepreneurship; ( LI) to create a comprehensive digital university framework for both, e- learning and e-administrative services;
3. (LII)to impart education under distance education system in accordance with Government of India, UGC and State Government regulations;

(LIII ) to exploit the power of ‘learning by collaboration’ and ‘participation’ with

use of information and communication technology;

1. (LIV)to cultivate research parks, technology incubators and other engagement entities to translate university research to commercial domain and coordinated projects involving multiple faculty groups from several disciplines that address some important issues before the State;
2. (LV)to identify skills to which students need to be exposed to, by taking into account the local needs, training facilities available, emerging needs and new employment opportunities;
3. (LVI)to provide an environment for the all-round development of youth by exposing them to the rich cultural heritage of the country and creating opportunities for development of skills in sports;
4. (LVII)to comply with and carry out any directives issued by the State Government, from time to time, with reference to above powers, duties and responsibilities of the university; (LVIII) to conduct academic audit of university departments, conducted colleges, affiliated/constituent colleges, institutions or schools, at regular intervals; and (LIX ) acquiring NAAC, NBA and NIRF ranking and other accreditations/ rankings by the University and its constituent colleges and affiliated colleges”
5. (c)after sub-sections (5), the following sub-sections shall be inserted, namely:─ “(6) There shall be established, the Universities in the State as bodies corporate, by

such names and territorial jurisdiction, as specified in the Schedule to this Act.

1. (7)The first Vice-Chancellor, the first Registrar, the first Comptroller of Finance and the first Controller of Examination, the Syndicate and the Academic Council of each University and all persons who may hereafter become such officers or members, so long as they continue to hold such office or membership, are hereby constituted a body corporate by the name of the University.
2. (8)The headquarters of each of the University, referred to in sub-section (4), shall be such as may be specified by the State Government by notification in the Official Gazette.”