Delay in implementing SEP hits college affiliation process

Bengaluru: The state government’s delay in implementing the State Education Policy (SEP) has affected the affiliation process of colleges at the universities, as the Department of Collegiate Education has not opened the portal for the same.

Following the lack of clarity from the government about the implementation of SEP and scrapping of the National Education Policy (NEP) from the coming academic year, for which the affiliation process of colleges and courses must have resumed from March, the department has not opened the Unified University College Management System (UUCMS) portal.

The universities are approaching the Karnataka State Higher Education Council seeking clarity.

A senior official of the council told DH, “Now, the affiliation process is mainly based on the documents uploaded on UUCMS. As the portal has not yet opened, the universities are saying the admission process for the academic year 2024-25 will be delayed across the state.”

As told by the university authorities, the submission of online details/applications by the colleges was supposed to begin in March.

“Once the colleges submit their applications online, the respective universities will verify the same on the UUCMS portal and prepare for physical verification by constituting Local Inspection Committees. This entire process will take two to three months,” said a vice-chancellor of a state-run university.

The university authorities explained that while giving approval for intake or enhancing the intake, they should mention whether there is an exit-entry option and whether the four-year Honours course will be continued.

“Now, we have given multiple entry and exit options according to NEP and also admitted students for the four-year Honours course. Now, we need to make it clear whether such options will be available while giving affiliation itself,” another vice-chancellor explained.

However, Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar said that he would direct the department officials to open the portal for the affiliation process.

“The decision based on the interim report submitted by the SEP commission will be taken after the model code of conduct is lifted and I will ask the department officials to open the portal,” Sudhakar said.