IISST Thiruvananthapuram declared as Deemed to be University

The Central government on the advice of University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to award a renowned space institute of Kerala into ‘Deemed-to-be-University’, the autonomous granted university that has the right to set up own guidelines for the admissions, fees and instruction to the students but it can not award degrees under its own name, as per under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956.

The Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development on Monday has released a press statement quoting to transform Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IISST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala into ‘Deemed-to-be-University’ as per under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956.

A proposal from Department of Space had been sent in this regard to confer IISST from a prestigious institute into ‘Deemed University’ that was accepted by the government. The HRD ministry has decided to confer IISST into ‘Deemed-to-be-University’ at probation basis under de novo category for the period of five years. The decision to confer the deemed university will be evaluated by the expert committee of UGC annually and after completion the period of five years, government would further take the decision to whether continue it or not.

The Ministry has also stated that the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram would continue to support the IISST with its infrastructure facilities until the completion of IISST’s own permanent infrastructure and development at the location near Thiruvananthapuram.

The Department of Space will finalise the Memorandum of Association (MoA) and Rules and regulation of the IISST as per UGC norms with UGC team soon.

The government has also included several conditions with this award:

1. The IISST should not undertake or engage in any activities that are of commercial and profit making in nature.

2. The IISST shall not offer / award, as the case may be, any degree(s) that are not specified by the UGC.

3. IISST cannot use its nomenclature to award any degree.

4. It can affiliate any teaching institute / school / college under its name

5. It cannot conduct any distance education programme without prior approval of UGC and Distance Education Council (DEC).

6. It cannot start or run any study centre / extension centre / off-campus centre / off-shore campus without obtaining the requisite prior approval of the UGC/ Government of India.

7. It cannot take immediate steps to start Postgraduate, doctoral and post doctoral programmes in emerging areas of space technology.

8. In all its advertisements, public notices, communications, etc., the IISST shall distinctly mention under its nomenclature by inserting (within brackets) a line, which shall read: “Declared as Deemed-to-be-University’ under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956”.