Section 4 in University Grants Commission (Categorization of Universities (only) for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018
4. Dimensions of Autonomy for Category-I Universities.
4.1Universities shall be automatically deemed to be under section 12B of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and no inspections by the Commission shall be required for the same.4.2Universities may start a new course/programme/department/school/centre in disciplines that form a part of its existing academic framework without approval of the UGC, provided no demand for fund is made from the government on account of starting the new course/programme/department/school/ centre. Degree programs shall be consistent with the approved nomenclature of the UGC. Diploma and certificate courses approved by its Statutory Authorities or Statutory Regulatory Authorities wherever required, may be started in new and innovative areas that are relevant to local, national or international needs, with information to the UGC :Provided that for Government owned Deemed to be Universities, approval shall be taken from the Government if funding is sought from the Government for starting a new course/programme/ department/school in self-financing mode.4.3Universities may open constituent units/off-campus centres within its geographical jurisdiction, without the approval of the UGC, provided it is able to arrange both recurring and non-recurring revenue sources and does not need any assistance for the same from the UGC or the Government.4.4Universities may start skill courses, consistent with the National Skills Qualification Framework, without approval of the UGC, provided no demand for fund is made from the government on account of starting the new courses. Degree programmes shall be consistent with the approved nomenclature of UGC. Diploma and certificate courses approved by its Statutory Authorities or Statutory Regulatory Authorities wherever required, may be started in new and innovative areas that are relevant to local, national or international needs, with information to the UGC.4.5Universities may open research parks, incubation centres, university society linkage centres, in selffinancing mode, either on its own or in partnership with private partners, without approval of Commission. However, in all such arrangements, the ownership of all immovable property and that component of movable property procured through the resources of the Institution shall remain with the University.4.6Universities, subject to the Rules, Regulations and Guidelines of Government of India, may hire, without approval of the Commission, foreign faculty having taught at any institution appearing in top five hundred of any of the world renowned ranking frameworks, such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings or the QS Rankings, upto twenty percent over and above of their total sanctioned faculty strength. Universities will have the freedom to hire foreign faculty on "tenure/contract" basis as per the terms and conditions approved by their Governing Council/Statutory bodies.4.7Universities shall be free to admit foreign students on merit, subject to a maximum of twenty percent, over and above of the strength of their approved domestic students. Universities would be free to fix and charge fees from foreign students without any restriction.4.8Universities, while following the pay scales as laid down by the Commission, shall build in an incentive structure to attract talented faculty, with the condition that the incentive structure shall have to be paid from their own revenue sources and not from Commission or Government funds. Such incentive structure shall be strictly merit based with clear defined, transparent and objective criteria and shall not be universal. It must necessarily be approved by both the Academic Council and the Finance Committee of the Institution, apart from Statutory Bodies like Senate/Syndicate/Executive Council, as the case may be. The Commission shall be informed of the incentive structure within thirty days of approval by the statutory bodies of the Institution.4.9Universities may engage in academic collaborations with foreign educational institutions, as per the UGC (Promotion and Maintenance of Standards of Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2016, without approval of the Commission with foreign institutions in top 500 of Times Higher Education World University Rankings or QS Rankings or top 200 of discipline specific ranking in Times Higher Education World University Rankings or QS Rankings.4.10Universities may offer courses in the Open and Distance Learning mode, without approval of the Commission ,provided it satisfies all the conditions laid down under the regulations, by whatever name they are called, pertaining to open and distance learning mode notified by the UGC from time to time.4.11Universities shall be exempted from annual monitoring of their off-campus centre(s) and / or the study centre(s), as stipulated under Section 3.3 of the UGC (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003 as amended /modified from time to time, except when there is substantive evidence of their not meeting basic minimum criteria or of irregularities or malpractices.4.12In case there is any external review required by the Commission under any statute or executive order, then it would be sufficient that the institution sends a report to the Commission in a prescribed review format.
