Mumbai: Almost 18 years after being granted ‘deemed-to-be university’ status, the reputed Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) in Matunga is keen on shedding the tag. Though the premier institute benefits from greater academic autonomy as a deemed entity, it is concerned that this very status is increasingly restricting its access to big-ticket state and central govt funding.Despite qualifying in terms of research activities, publications and other academic prerequisites, the institute has been unable to apply for central schemes such as the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and PM-USHA due to its deemed status. With Maharashtra govt’s CM-USHA scheme to enhance research infrastructure in state universities on the anvil, the Matunga institute once again risks being excluded because of its status. Most deemed-to-be universities are sponsored by private bodies. ICT, however, is a rare exception as a state-sponsored deemed-to-be university. A govt official said that the institute has informally communicated its intent to the state’s higher and technical education department, but a formal proposal will be submitted only after deliberations with its governing board. The official said the institute enjoys autonomy as a deemed-to-be university in academic and governance, including in appointments, admissions and other decisions. Therefore, it wishes to retain deemed-like autonomy, but wants to relinquish the official tag. The vice-chancellor of the university was unavailable for comment.Officials said under state regulations, an independent entity somewhat like the COEP Technological University, Pune, is a possibility. While converting into a state university is a possible route, the institute is seeking a special category wherein it can lose the ‘deemed’ label but retain academic autonomy, said sources.ICT was established as the University Department of Chemical Technology under Mumbai University in 1933. Over the years, it gained partial autonomy from the University Grants Commission and later full autonomy and then went on to become a deemed-to-be varsity on Sept 12, 2008, after a peer review process. In 2012, the state assembly granted it an Elite Status and a Centre of Excellence tag on par with IISERs and IITs.The institute’s rank in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), however, has declined over the past couple of years, with academics attributing the drop to reduced funding. Its position, however, in the pharmacy category has remained unchanged. The ICT matter came up for discussion in a recent meeting with higher education minister Chandrakant Patil, and the Director of Technical Education has been asked for feedback.
