New Delhi: The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry, in its revised concept note upon setting up of 14 Innovation Universities, has mulled to include two types of reservation policies for them, some directly funded by the government while some to be run in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode

It is likely that within the PPP mode made functional here, it would also invite world class foreign universities to set up similar institutions here where the government will be a partner institution in the establishment and research programme while the cost of teaching will be funded by the promoter university.

Setting up of the Innovation Universities, fully funded by the government, is deemed to follow the existing reservation policy for admission of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, applicable in this case.

Considering about the setting up of these universities in PPP mode, the HRD note clearly states that the affirmative action cannot be ignored due to which it has been suggested that for the socio economic background of the candidates their test scores are to be weighed

Factors such as educational qualification of parents, their income and the nature of school (rural/urban) from where the student passed are to be considered while weighing the same.

Replacing the concept of reservation, the universities shall be given the authority to evolve a methodology to finalise the weight.

A slight modification in auditing of accounts is also observable.

While the expenditure on administration or non-academic areas will be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the money spent by a university or faculty on research or teaching will be kept out of its purview.

Two modes of establishment of Innovation Universities have also been decided.

The fully funded universities by the government are supposed to come up following the Act of the Parliament while those through PPP mode are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)

Financial, academic and research credentials of the private promoter will be the main criterion in selecting them to collaborate with the government.

The Innovation Universities will also have the freedom to decide on their own admission policy.