AFFILIATION TO COLLEGES/INSTITUTIONS
(PROCEDURES, REQUIREMENTS, TERMS & CONDITIONS, etc.)

[Information given below is correct as of April, 2006]

Pondicherry University, established by an Act of Parliament in the year 1985, is a Central University which receives a large percentage of its funding from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi. The University’s jurisdiction spreads over the Union Territory of Pondicherry (inclusive of Karaikal, Mahe and Yannam), Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshwadeep Islands. Recently, Pondicherry University has also been designated as an affiliating university for the Minority Institutions whose location may be anywhere in India.

The main campus of Pondicherry University is located in Kalapet Village of Pondicherry about 10 km north of Pondicherry town. The Administrative offices of the University are on the main campus where a wide variety of Doctoral, Pre-doctoral, Post-graduate, Graduate, Advanced PG Diploma courses and PG Diploma courses are offered. The University also runs a Community College situated at Pondicherry town. The University also has a Directorate of Distance Education which offers various Post Graduate and PG Diploma in distance mode all over India and abroad.

The University is an affiliating University and grants affiliation to Colleges/ Institutions if they meet various requirements as per the existing University rules and ensures offering of quality education to students admitted in the affiliated colleges. Colleges, which wish to seek affiliation from Pondicherry University, must read the information given below and follow the procedures in letter and spirit. The information given below is not necessarily exhaustive and for more information and details please contact Registrar, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry 605014, India.

I. PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY ACT 1985

No. 4. The objects of the University shall be to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities in such branches of learning as it may deem fit and by the example of its corporate life, and, in particular, to make special provisions for studies in French and for integrated courses for Humanities and Science in the educational programmes of the University and to take appropriate measures for promoting inter-disciplinary studies and research in the University.

No. 5 (8): to recognize an institution of higher learning for such purposes as the University may determine and to withdraw such recognition.

No. 5 (9): to recognize persons for imparting instruction in any college or institution admitted to the privileges of the University.

No. 5 (17): To admit to its privileges, Colleges and Institutions not maintained by the University; to withdraw all or any of those privileges in accordance with such conditions as may be prescribed by the Statutes; and to recognize Halls not maintained by the University and to withdraw any such recognition.

No. 5 (18): To declare a College, an Institution or a Department as an autonomous College or an Institution or a Department, as the case may be.

No. 5 (19): To determine standards for admission into the University which may include examination, evaluation or any other method of testing.

No. 5 (20): To demand and receive payment of fees and other charges.

No. 7 (2): No college or institution situated within the local limits of the jurisdiction of the University shall be compulsorily affiliated to the University, and affiliation shall be granted by the University only to such colleges or institutions as may agree to accept the Statutes and Ordinances.

No. 7 (3): Any College or institution admitted to the privileges of the University shall cease to be associated with, or be admitted to the privileges of, any other University.

No. 7 (4): No college or institution situated within the local limits of the jurisdiction of the University, but not admitted to its privileges, shall be associated with, or be admitted to the privileges of, any other University except with previous approval of the Administrator of the Union Territory in which such colleges or institutions is situated.

II. THE STATUTE OF PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY

32 (1) Colleges and other Institutions situated within the jurisdiction of the University may be admitted to such privileges of the University as the Executive Council may decide on the following conditions, namely:-

(i) Every such College or Institution shall have a regularly constituted Governing Body, consisting of not more than fifteen persons approved by the Executive Council and including among others, two teachers of the University to be nominated by the Executive Council and three representatives of the teaching staff of whom the Principal of the College or Institution shall be one. The procedure for appointment of members of the Governing Body and the other matters affecting the management of a College or an Institution shall be prescribed by the Ordinances:

Provided that the said condition shall not apply in the case of Colleges and Institutions maintained by Government which shall, however, have an Advisory Committee consisting of not more than fifteen persons which shall consist of among others, three teachers including the Principal of the College or Institution, and two teachers of the University nominated by the Executive Council.

(ii) Every such College or Institution shall satisfy the Executive Council on the following matters, namely:-

(a) the suitability and adequacy of its accommodation and equipment for teaching;

(b) the qualifications and adequacy of its teaching staff and the conditions of their service;

(c) arrangements for the residence, welfare, discipline and supervision of students;

(d) the adequacy of financial provision made for the continued maintenance of the College or Institution; and

(e) such other matters as are essential for the maintenance of the standards of University education.

(iii) No College or Institution shall be admitted to any privileges of the University except on the recommendation of the Academic Council made after considering the report of a Committee of Inspection appointed for the purpose by the Academic Council.

(iv) Colleges and Institutions desirous of admission to any privileges of the University shall be required to intimate their intention to do so in writing so as to reach the Registrar not later than 1st October, preceding the year from which permission applied for is to have effect.

(v) A College or an Institution shall not, without the previous permission of the Executive Council and the Academic Council, suspend instruction in any subject or course of study which it is authorized to teach and teaches.

32(2) Appointment to the teaching staff and Principals of Colleges or Institutions admitted to the privileges of the University shall be made in the manner prescribed by the Ordinances:

Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to Colleges and Institutions maintained by Government.

32(3) The service conditions of the administrative and other non-academic staff of every College or Institution referred to in clause (2) shall be such as may be laid down in the Ordinances:

Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to Colleges and Institutions maintained by Government.

32(4) Every College or Institution admitted to the privileges of the University shall be inspected at least once in every two academic years by a Committee appointed by the Academic Council and the report of that Committee shall be submitted to the Academic Council which shall forward the same to the Executive Council with such recommendations as it may deem fit to make. The Executive Council, after considering the report and the recommendations, if any, of the Academic Council, shall forward a copy of the report to the Governing Body of the College or Institution with such remarks, if any, as it may deem fit for suitable action.

32(5) The Executive Council may, after consulting the Academic Council withdraw any privileges granted to a College or Institution at any time it considers that the College or Institution does not satisfy any of the conditions on the fulfillment of which the College or Institution was admitted to such privileges:

Provided that before any privileges are so withdrawn the Governing Body of the College or Institution concerned shall be given an opportunity to represent to the Executive Council why such action should not be taken.

32(6) Subject to the conditions set forth in clause (1) the Ordinances may prescribe.

(i) such other conditions as may be considered necessary
(ii) the procedure for the admission of Colleges and Institutions to the privileges of the University and for the withdrawal of those privileges.

III. ACADEMIC ORDINANCES OF THE UNIVERSITY
[Section 5(17) of the Act read with Statute 32]

1. (a) ‘College’ means any college or any institution maintained or recognised by the University or admitted to the privileges of the University and providing courses of study for admission to the examinations of the University.

(b) ‘Affiliated college/institution’ means any college/institution not maintained by the University and admitted to the privileges of the University and providing course of study for admission to the examinations for Degree/Diploma/Certificate of the University under the Pondicherry University Act, 1985.

(c) ‘Post-graduate College’ means a University institution or an affiliated College/institution providing post-graduate courses of study leading to the post-graduate degree of the University.

(d) ‘Government College’ means any College/institution maintained by the
Government (State or Central) or a Union Territory Administration.

(e) ‘Private College’ means any College/institution not maintained by the University
or a Government Agency.

2. An ‘autonomous College/institution’ means any College/institution designated as an ‘autonomous College/institution’ by the statutes of the University.

3. The Executive Council shall prescribe, in consultation with the Academic Council, the manner in which and the conditions subject to which a College/institution may be designated as an autonomous college and for withdrawal of such designation.

4. The Executive Council shall not propose the draft of any statute or amendment to a statute affecting the conditions of affiliation or approval of affiliated or approved College/institution with the University or by the University, as the case may be, or affecting the conditions of designation of any College/institution as an autonomous College/Institution except after consultation with the Academic Council.

5. (a) Wherever a proposal to start a new College is made, the sponsoring body, or in the case of a Government College, the Department of the Government concerned, shall submit an application to the Registrar in the prescribed form not later than October 1st of the preceding year in which it is intended to start the College. Applications should be accompanied by detailed report of the infrastructure and physical, financial and other facilities available to start such a College.

(b) The Colleges for the purpose of this Ordinance will be grouped into two categories; Under-graduate Colleges and Post-graduate Colleges. The procedure for admission to the privileges of the University for these two categories is dealt with here below:

(c) An Under-graduate College or a Post-graduate College, as the case may be, shall ordinarily be admitted to the privileges of the University, in the first instance, for providing instruction for the first year of the course. Such a College may be admitted to the further privilege of providing instruction at the subsequent years of study in accordance with the procedure and conditions prescribed by the University for the purpose.

(d) On receipt of the application, the Affiliation Committee constituted by the Academic Council shall scrutinize the application and where needed, seek further clarification from the sponsoring body. The Committee thereafter shall make its recommendations to the Academic Council.

(e) The Academic Council, after considering the report of the Affiliation Committee, shall appoint a Committee of Inspection of not less than three members of whom one shall be the Director of Studies, Educational Innovations and Rural Reconstruction.

(f) The Committee of Inspection may take necessary steps to examine the request, inspect the site and submit its report to the University on the need and feasibility of the proposed College the suitability of the site, the adequacy of the physical facilities and financial resources and then make suitable recommendations.

(g) The University shall make necessary arrangements to complete the process and intimate the decision to the sponsoring Body/Government Department concerned and college/institution concerned normally two months prior to the commencement of the next academic session.

(h) (i) On receipt of the permission to start the College/institution the sponsoring Body shall constitute the Governing Body/Advisory Committee and proceed to make appointment for the posts of Principal and other academic staff in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the University about their composition, minimum qualifications, procedure for appointment, etc.

(ii) Further, the Governing Body/Advisory Committee shall make necessary arrangements to fulfill all the conditions and recommendations made by the Committee of Inspection in this regard.

(i) No Person, who is not fully qualified as per the norms laid down by the University for the purpose, shall be appointed on the staff of the college or as Principal. In exceptional cases, however, if a fully qualified Principal is not readily available, one of the members of the staff, if existing, having the longest teaching experience, at College level, may be designated as Vice-Principal and the post of Principal may be kept vacant until such time a fully qualified person is appointed as Principal.

(j) In the case of affiliation to start new courses, the provisions contained in the foregoing clauses (a), (c), (d), (e) and (g) shall be observed.

(k) The Governing Body/Advisory Committee of a college/institution or the Government Department, as the case may be, shall, at the earliest, but not later than 15 days from the date of the commencement of the academic session, inform the University about the staff in position with full particulars and also a clarification/acceptance regarding the fulfillment of the conditions, recommendations prescribed by the University.

(l) The Affiliation Committee shall consist of the following:

(i) Vice-Chancellor or his nominee … Chairman

(ii) Two nominees of the Academic ... Members Council

(iii) Registrar or any other officer nominated by the Vice-Chancellor … Member Secretary

(m) Provisional affiliation of a College/course shall be granted for a period of one year initially which may be extended to a further period as the University may deem fit and proper. Requests for renewal shall be submitted on or before 7th January of the preceding academic year.

(n) The University may arrange for a review of the progress of the College/institution, its performance in general with particular reference to the course(s) started and then permit the renewal and the fact be reported to the Academic Council.

(o) The College/Institution, which has been granted provisional affiliation for any course, after the lapse of three academic years may apply for permanent affiliation which may be granted on the recommendation of the Committee of Inspection appointed for the purpose. The College/institution shall submit a detailed report well before the time of inspection to facilitate the work of the Committee of Inspection.

Provided that in exceptional and outstanding cases, this condition may be waived by the Executive Council on the recommendation of the Academic Council and permanent affiliation granted earlier to any College/institution as per usual procedure governing such permanent affiliation as special categories.

(p) No College shall be dissolved or abolished by its Governing Body/Advisory Committee without making prior arrangement for admission of students in another affiliated college or Colleges and without making alternative arrangements for employment of the permanent members of the teaching staff and also without obtaining prior approval of the Government concerned, the University, the University Grants Commission, as may be necessary, regarding final settlement of any property including library books and laboratory equipment which might have been acquired by such a College with financial assistance from the University Grants Commission and/or Government.

Provided that no College shall be dissolved or abolished under any circumstances in the midst of an academic session.

(q) The Executive Council may lay down new conditions of affiliation, general or specific, regarding staff, buildings, equipment, library, laboratories, finance or other relevant matters and specify the date by which the conditions so stipulated be satisfied, failing which the College/institution may not be allowed to enjoy the privileges of the University.

(r) The report of the Inspection Committee of a College/institution shall not be communicated to the College/institution but shall be regarded as a confidential document until it has first been considered by the University. After a decision regarding affiliation has been taken, copies of the report may be sent, unless withheld under the orders of the Vice-Chancellor for any reason, to the college/institution and to the Director of Education/Department of the Government concerned for information, guidance and necessary action.

6. A sponsoring body/Government Department seeking permission to open a new College/institution or Colleges/institutions seeking to start new courses shall pay the fees/create the endowment at the rates as specified in the AppendixI to this Chapter.

However, the provision relating to the creation of endowment shall not apply in the case of Colleges/institutions maintained by a Government (State or Central) or a Union Territory Administration

7. Such affiliated Colleges/institution may levy such fees from students towards tuition fee, etc., payable to the College and also to the University as may be prescribed/approved by the University from time to time, with the prior concurrence of the University.

8. The Executive Council shall have power to withdraw any affiliation or permission from a College/institution at any time whenever, in the opinion of the Executive Council, such College/institution has failed to comply with the Rules, Regulations, Statutes, Ordinances or any other directives of the University, or if the College/institutions authorities have failed to maintain order and discipline in the College/institution or the normal, regular and proper functioning of the College/institution has become impossible due to mismanagement of the affairs of the College/institution or any other valid reason.

9. Work load of the teachers in such affiliated Colleges shall be as prescribed by the Regulations.

10. The time-table of a College/institution shall provide for the minimum number of classes per week in each subject taught as prescribed by Regulations.

11. The minimum staff requirement of a College/institution shall be as provided in the Regulations. No College/institution shall be granted affiliation if it fails to satisfy such minimum requirement.

12. Every College/institution shall provide suitable accommodation for class rooms, laboratories, library and administration, as prescribed by the University.

13. Every College/institution must have a well-equipped Library as per provisions of the Regulations in this regard.

14. Every College/institution should follow the norms laid down by the University about the size of classes which may be prescribed by Regulations.

15. Any difficulty arising in interpretation of, or giving effect to any provisions of this Ordinance, shall be referred to the Vice-Chancellor, whose interpretation or decision thereon, shall be final.

IV. DATES PRESCRIBED FOR SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS:

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