University Grants Commission (UGC): Fund Cuts News 'Based On Forged Letter'
Last week reports emerged in some section of media that University Grants Commission (UGC) will be cancelling funding for research centres that study social discrimination. But on Saturday the body has said that the letter is "blatantly false" and "based on a forged letter". "On 17th and 18th of March, 2017, various news papers have carried the news indicating that UGC is in the process of winding up the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy which is blatantly a false news", said a release from UGC.
"The whole news is based on a forged letter. It would have been proper if the press would have confirmed with University Grants Commission before publishing the news item", it said.
On March 13, it was reported by
Telegraph that, 'the government has decided to stop funding research centres on social discrimination at several universities, prompting accusations of shielding the "Brahminical social order".'
"I am directed to inform you that UGC will not provide financial support to the centre after the end of XIIth Plan as per the order received from MHRD (ministry of human resource development) ... Further, the UGC will not be liable to the scheme of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy after the completion of XIIth Plan in any matter of functioning of the Centre; No communication whatsoever will be entertained or solicited by the UGC," says the order quoted by the Telegraph, issued by UGC undersecretary Sushma Rathore.
UGC in its press release said that it has established Centres for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in various universities in the Xth Plan on plan-to-plan basis provided these Centres give a satisfactory progress in the areas of their focus. Keeping in view the same procedure the UGC would be extending these Centres from 1st April, 2017 onwards.
UGC vide its letter No.3-6/2007(SCT) dated 20th January, 2011 informed Jawaharlal Nehru University that the Centres will continue as earlier and the work done by the centre would be monitored by the Commission, the press release said.
Further, UGC vide its vide letter No.F.30-15/2007(CU) dated 22nd September, 2015 and F.No.24-1/2015(CU) dated 23rd December, 2015 has again informed Jawaharlal Nehru University that Centre being on plan-to-plan basis will continue on the same basis.
Further to this, it is reiterated that the quoted letter in the newspapers is a forgery and as per records of UGC has not been issued by Ms. Sushma Rathore, Under Secretary, UGC. The records of University Grants Commission have been checked and it is confirmed that no such letter has been issued or dispatched by the office of University Grants Commission. The perusal of the letter received by JNU shows that the letter was faxed from Mumbai number with 022 STD code. University Grants Commission does not have an office in Mumbai. The University Grants Commission is contemplating taking all appropriate legal action in this regard.
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