The Private University Division of the University Grants Commission (UGC) has only 14 officials to monitor and develop policies for 115 private universities across the country, of which 110 are authorised.
As a result, the UGC's private university wing struggles to complete its routine tasks and has little time for new initiatives, insiders revealed.
They noted that the private university wing requires at least 30 officials to effectively manage all functions and ensure quality education. Due to an acute manpower shortage, activities progress slowly, leaving many private universities unchecked even when severe allegations of irregularities are brought against them.
Md Omar Faruque, Director of the Private University Division of the UGC, told The Business Post that their officials face tremendous pressure to complete routine work, often having to travel outside Dhaka to inspect university activities.
According to the UGC's 49th annual report, the Private University Division operates in 18 areas, including ensuring academic, administrative, and financial discipline, maintaining quality education, investigating the overall conditions of proposed universities, approving curricula and syllabi for each programme, and conducting regular physical inspections.
Other responsibilities include regular and surprise visits to universities, liaising with the Ministry of Education, providing direction for recruiting syndicate members and teachers, advising on student enrolment and grading systems, and ensuring compliance with regulations for leave for vice chancellors (VCs), pro-vice chancellors (pro-VCs), and treasurers.
The UGC's 49th annual report, 2022, further noted the distribution of private universities — 69 in Dhaka Division, 17 in Chattogram Division, nine in Rajshahi Division, five in Khulna Division, three in Barishal Division, five in Sylhet Division, one in Rangpur Division, and one in Mymensingh Division.
Professor Dr Biswajit Chanda, a member of the UGC, told The Business Post that the commission is aware of the manpower shortage in the private university wing; however, there is currently no scope to increase manpower due to an accommodation crisis in the UGC's building.
“We have a plan to build a new building for the UGC. Once completed, we can recruit more manpower for the private university wing. Even then, we do not know when this will start or end,” he said.
“It is true that the UGC monitors all activities of private universities. However, private universities have their own responsibilities. They should be more accountable for their own benefit. If the UGC finds any irregularities and makes them public, the university in question will lose its reputation, which will be harmful for that institution,” he added.
Dr Manzoor Ahmed, professor emeritus at BRAC University, told The Business Post that the number of private universities is almost more than double that of public universities.
“The UGC was initially set up to control and monitor public universities. Later, its responsibilities were extended to include the monitoring of private universities. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education did not take effective initiatives to increase its capacity,” he observed.
