Constitution of State Council for Education and Research, its powers and duties

(1) For the purposes of effective co-ordination in the activities of the Universities set up in this State under this Act, particularly in relation to teaching, research, extension education and other matters of common interest and also for having periodical evaluation of the functioning of and for supervision over the Universities and their academic and financial activities and programmes, the State Government shall constitute a Council for Education and Research to be called “The Himachal Pradesh Council of Agricultural, Horticultural and Forestry Education and Research". (2) The Chief Secretary to the State Government shall be the Chairman of the Council and the Council shall have the following members, namely:- (i) [omitted] (ii) the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities; (iii) the Secretaries to the State Government in the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Finance and Forest; and (iv) one representative of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. (3) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), the Council for Education and Research shall have the following powers and functions, namely:- (a) to grant permission to the Universities for starting any new course or disciplines, departments, schemes or projects to be financed out of the State exchequer by way of grants/loans; (b) to review, from time to time, the work done in the Universities relating to education, teaching, research and extension education in agriculture, horticulture and forestry with a view to achieving effective co-ordination in the activities of the Universities and to give them suitable guidance and directions; (c) to advise the State Government on matters relating to activities of the Universities, which may be referred to it by the State Government; (d) to exercise such other powers and to discharge such other functions as are incidental or requisite to give effect to the provisions of this Act; (e) to take decisions in relation to transfer/division of research experimental stations from one University to the other. (4) The Council for Education and Research, in the exercise of its powers and the discharge of its functions, shall have the power to issue necessary directions to the Universities under intimation to the Chancellor which shall be final and binding on the Universities and it shall be the duty of the Vice-Chancellor concerned to ensure that such directions are promptly and properly implemented and for this purpose the Vice-Chancellor shall have and exercise all the necessary powers as provided in sub-section (5) of section 25 of this Act. (5) The Council for Education and Research shall, in conducting its business, determine such procedure as it may deem fit. (6) The Council for Education and Research shall have the power to act notwithstanding any vacancy in the membership thereof or any defect in the constitution thereof.