Kolhan University has sent a proposal to Union human resource development (HRD) ministry to grant two of its oldest colleges the status of deemed university.

Jamshedpur Co-operative College and Tata College, Chaibasa, were the two institutions the Chaibasa-headquartered varsity thought fit to become deemed universities.

A deemed university status, granted by the Union HRD ministry on the advice of University Grants Commission (UGC), allows the college concerned full autonomy in courses, syllabus, admission, finance and fees.

A senior official of the Kolhan University said the proposal was taken to upgrade administration and quality of education in the two colleges.

He added that they had informed the UGC about the proposal. "We are hopeful that either of the two colleges will get the deemed university status by next year," he said.

"The varsity has 14 constituent colleges. Only Jamshedpur Women's College received autonomous status so far, which gives it academic freedom but not financial independence," he added.

But, the major hurdles for both the Jamshedpur and Chaibasa colleges in becoming deemed varsities are basic infrastructure and facility lacunae.

Criteria for a college to be deemed a university include infrastructure and knowledge capital. These include a guesthouse to accommodate at least 10 persons, a library with books worth Rs 50 lakh, PG courses and research activities by professors and innovative teaching programmes. Most colleges under Kolhan University do not adhere to these criteria.

Both colleges eyeing the deemed university status have neither guesthouses nor full-fledged research activities by their professors concerned.

While Jamshedpur Co-operative College has books worth Rs 50 lakh in its library, Tata College, Chaibasa, however, is not sure about it.

State government recently granted Rs 40 lakh and Rs 36 lakh to Jamshedpur Co-operative College and Tata College for infrastructure development and asked to work on improving academic ambience.

Principal of Tata College Kasturi Boipai said their huge campus was an edge. "We received infrastructure guidelines from the university and have started working on them. We are getting the college accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)," Boipai said.

Jamshedpur Co-operative College, which also sent a request to the NAAC, has received a positive response and is awaiting an inspection.

But, a commerce student of Jamshedpur Co-operative College said: "Forget innovative teaching, we don't have enough teachers, not even proper toilets. Before applying for deemed university status, colleges in Kolhan should take a hard look at themselves."