Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The department of higher education (DHE) has rejected 15 out of 22 proposals sent by Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), the top-ranking university of Madhya Pradesh, for upgrading its teaching departments as Centres of Excellence (CoEs). The move has come as a major jolt to the DAVV as its plan of expansion is dashed to a great extent.
“The DHE has rejected all those proposals which were for upgrading self-financing departments as CoEs. DHE officials told us that they were considering only those proposals which were for upgrading traditional departments as CoEs,” said Prof VB Gupta, who is coordinating with the DHE from the DAVV’s side.
During a review meeting in January, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that DAVV has the potential to figure among the top 100 universities of the country. He also noted that the DAVV also has potential to clinch Grade A++ accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The CM had directed the DHE to help DAVV technical and financially.
Moved by the instructions of the CM, DHE had sought its requirements from DAVV which in turned handed out proposals seeking Rs 230-crore grant for its expansion and enhancement of facilities. Taken aback by the huge amount of grant that DAVV sought, the DHE had directed it to resend the proposals prioritising them. DAVV had prioritized the proposals in three stages.
In the first stage, DAVV wanted funds for upgrading 10 departments as CoEs and developing 15 central facilities, including a hostel for researchers, hostel for international students, a learning resource centre, a tribal development department and so forth.
In the second stage, DAVV sought funds for upgrading eight departments as CoEs and other facilities.
In the third stage, the university wished to convert five more departments into CoEs and add more facilities on the UTD campus. In total, DAVV wanted 23 of its teaching departments to be upgraded as CoEs.
