Chapter II THE UNIVERSITY AND SPONSORING BODY

(1) The Trust shall have the right to establish the University of unitary nature subject to and in accordance with the provisions of this Act. (2) The proposal to establish a University shall be made to the State Government by the Trust. (3) The proposal shall consist of the following particulars, namely:- (i) the objects of the University along with the details of the Trust; (ii) the extent and status of the University and the availability of land; (iii) the nature and type of programmes of study and research to be undertaken by the University during a period of five academic years immediately following the commencement date; (iv) the nature of faculties, courses of study and research proposed to be started; (v) the campus development such as buildings, equipment and structural amenities; (vi) the phased outlays of capital expenditure for a period of five academic years immediately following the commencement date; (vii) the item-wise recurring expenditure, sources of finance and estimated expenditure for each student; (viii) the scheme for mobilizing resources and the cost of capital thereto and the manner of repayments to each source; (ix) the scheme of generation of funds internally through the recovery of fee from students, revenues anticipated from consultancy and other activities relating to the objects of the University and other anticipated incomes; (x) the details of expenditure on unit cost, the extent of concessions or rebates in fee, freeship and scholarship for students belonging to economically weaker sections and the fee structure indicating varying rate of fee, if any, that would be levied on students who are either non resident Indians or persons of Indian origin or sponsored by non resident Indians or persons of Indian origin and students of nationalities other than India; (xi) the years of experience and expertise in the concerned discipline at the command of the Trust as well as the financial resources; (xii) the system for selection of students to the courses of study at the University; and (xiii) status of fulfillment of such other conditions as may be required by the State Government to be fulfilled before the establishment of the University. (4) A Screening Committee shall be constituted by the State Government consisting of three members who are Ex-Officio members of Karnataka State Higher Education Council, to examine the proposals received, which shall make recommendations to the State Government.

(1) Where the State Government, after considering the recommendations of the screening Committee and holding such inquiry as it may deem necessary, is satisfied that,- (i) the Trust has ability to run an University with sufficient infrastructure. (ii) owns a land to the extent specified below in accordance with its location, namely:- (a) twenty five acres of land if it is within limits of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike; (b) forty acres of land if it is out side the limits of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike but within Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority area; (c) not less than sixty acres of land in the places other than the places specified in clauses (a) and (b). The land specified above shall consist of a single block and it shall be in the name of concerned trust/foundation/institution/ university itself. Based on the furnished particulars required in sub-section (3) of section 3, the Government may direct the Trust to establish the permanent Statutory Endowment Fund as specified in section 47. (2) After the establishment of the Permanent Statutory Endowment Fund, the State Government may, by notification, in the official Gazette, accord sanction for establishment of the University of unitary nature in the State by the name of "Vellore Institute of Technology Bangalore". (3) The headquarters of the University shall be at Bangalore. The University shall have Campuses or Regional Centres, Study Centres anywhere in Karnataka and subject to the prior permission of the State Government and as per UGC norms. (4) The First Chancellor, the First Vice-Chancellor, First members of the Board of Governors, First members of the Board of Management and the Academic Council and all persons who may hereafter become such officers or members, so long as they continue to hold such office or membership, shall constitute a body corporate and can sue and be sued in the name of the-University. (5) On sanction for the establishment of the University under sub-section (2), the land and other movable and immovable properties acquired, created, arranged or built by the Trust for the purpose of the University shall vest in the University. (6) In all suits and other legal proceedings by or against the University, the pleading shall be signed and verified by and all processes in such suits and proceedings shall be issued to and be served on the Registrar. (7) The land, building and other properties of the University shall not be used for any purpose other than incidental to the objects of the University.

The University shall be self-financing and shall neither make a demand nor shall be entitled to any maintenance, grant-in-aid or any other financial assistance from the State or any other body or corporation owned or controlled by the State: Provided that the State may, provide financial support through grants or otherwise,- (a) for research, development and other activities for which other State Government organizations are provided financial assistance; or (b) for any specific research or programmes receiving support from the Government; and (c) for the benefit of similar universities in the State whether subject to a change in State policy or otherwise: Provided further that the university may receive any financial support from any other source.

The University may have Constituent Colleges, Regional Centres, additional campuses and Study Centres at such places in the State as it deems fit after the completion of five years after its establishment with prior approval of the State Government subject to norms of UGC and other National Accreditation bodies.

The University shall employ a broad range of strategies to achieve its vision and objectives,- (i) to formulate the niche areas for research & teaching keeping in mind the needs being socially relevant in creating a knowledge society; (ii) to support, promote and undertake the advancement of university education leading up to and including undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and postdoctoral courses in Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, Engineering, Humanities, Medicine, Pharmacy, Allied Health Sciences, Business Administration, Agriculture, Education and such other objects as the trustees may deem fit with prior approval of the State Government; (iii) to establish Campuses and have study centers, constituent colleges and Regional Centres, at various locations in Karnataka and to contribute and develop an understanding of educational change and social and human development; as per norms of the University Grants Commission with prior approval of the State Government; (iv) to carve a niche in the fields of entrepreneurship & entrepreneurial research and to develop case studies including providing strategic advice to the Incubated Companies; (v) to institute degrees, diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions like award of credits on the basis of successful completion of academic work evaluated through multiple modern methods of assessment; (vi) to collaborate with any other universities, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, industry associations, professional associations or other organizations offer specific educational and research programmes, training programmes and exchange programmes for students, faculty members and others; (vii) to undertake programmes for development and training of faculty and researchers of the University in partnership with any other University of quality with prior approval of the State Government; (viii) to undertake collaborative research and advocacy with any organizations with prior approval of the State Government; (ix) engage students in research to promote innovation problem solving approach and creativity; (x) to provide an innovative system of University level education, flexible and open, in regard to methods and places of learning, combination of courses, eligibility for enrolment, age of entry, conduct of examination and operation of programmes with a view to promoting access and equity in higher learning and to encourage excellence in the new fields of knowledge and to provide special emphasis on both the academic and application oriented learning; (xi) to promote national integration and the integrated development of human personality through its policies and programmes; (xii) promote and undertake various research programmes in various disciplines to solve problems in areas such as but not limited to disease cure, environment protection and improvement, renewable energy, efficient industrial practices, business administration and socio - economic development; (xiii) design programmes towards continuing education of people employed in industries for skills enhancement; (xiv) engage students and faculty in industrial projects; (xv) contribute to the productivity of industries through consulting assignments; (xvi) encourage entrepreneurship in students, alumni and industry partners through teaching and collaborations; (xvii) develop awareness and inspire public and private initiatives on matters of national and international importance through seminars, workshops, symposiums, discussions, conferences, continuous education programmes, community development programmes, publications, training programmes and entrepreneurship; (xviii) develop social entrepreneurship programmes by way of teaching, learning and leading by example; (xix) undertake development activities relevant to development of the rural and urban sections of the society; (xx) collaborate with developing, underdeveloped and developed nations to solve critical problems by pooling in global knowledge.

The University shall have the following powers, namely:- (i) to establish and maintain Campuses, Regional Centres and Study Centres in Karnataka as may be determined by the University from time to time in the manner laid down by the Statutes with prior approval of the Government and as per UGC norms; (ii) to carry out all such other activities as may be necessary or feasible in furtherance of the object of the University; (iii) to confer degrees or other academic distinctions in the manner and under conditions laid down in the Statutes; (iv) to institute and award fellowships, scholarships and prizes, awards medals etc., in accordance with the Statutes; (v) to demand and receive such fees, bills, invoices and collect charges as may be fixed by the Statutes or rules, as the case may be; (vi) to make provisions for extra curricular activities for students and employees; (vii) to make appointments of the Faculty, officers and employees of the University or a Constituent College, Campuses, Regional Centres, Study Centres; (viii) to receive voluntary donations and gifts of any kind not prohibited by any Law for the timebeing inforce and to acquire, hold, manage, maintain and dispose of any movable or immovable property, including trust and endowment properties for the purpose of the University or a Constituent College or a Campus, Regional Centre, Study Centre; (ix) to institute and maintain hostels and to recognize, places of residence for students of the University or a Constituent College; (x) to supervise and control the residence and to regulate the discipline among the students and all categories of employees and to lay down the conditions of service of such employees, including the Code of. Conduct for the students and employees; (xi) to create academic, administrative and support staff and other necessary posts; (xii) to co-operate and collaborate with other Universities in such a manner and for such purposes as the University may determine from time to time; (xiii) to organize and conduct refresher courses, orientation courses, workshops, seminars and other programmes for teachers, lesson writers, evaluators and other academic staff; (xiv) to determine standards of admission to the University or a Constituent College, Regional Centres, Study Centres with the approval of Academic Council and to make admission of students of Karnataka not less than the extent provided in this Act; (xv) to do all such other acts or things whether incidental to the powers aforesaid or not, as may be necessary to further the objects of the University; (xvi) to institute Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and other academic distinctions on the basis of examination or any other method of evaluation approved by the Government; (xvii) to provide for the preparation of instructional materials, including films, cassettes, tapes, video cassettes, CD, VCD and other software and other relevant electronic and print media. (xviii) to raise, collect, subscribe and borrow money with the approval of the Board of Governors whether on the security of the property of the University, for the purposes of the University; (xix) to acquire, takeover and run the management of any other educational institutions with the prior approval of the Government; (xx) to acquire properties with the prior approval of the board of management; (xxi) to undertake any other activities connected with or incidental to above objectives of the University.

The University admissions shall be open to all persons irrespective of caste, class, creed, gender or nation. All admissions shall be made on the basis of merit in the qualifying examinations: Provided that forty percent of the admissions in all courses of the university shall be reserved for the students of Karnataka State and admissions shall be made through a Common Entrance Examination conducted by the State Government or its agency and seats shall be allotted as per the merit and reservation policy of the State Government from time to time. Provided further that where there are less than ten seats in any course like Post Graduate, they shall be reserved by clubbing such courses together and where there are less than three posts in any course they shall be reserved by rotation.

The University shall seek accreditation from respective statutory national accreditation bodies soon after its establishment. Further all the courses run by Private Universities shall be as per the regulations of the National Accreditation Bodies.

The sponsoring body shall have the following powers with reference to the University, each of which may be exercised by the Sponsoring Body at its discretion, namely:- (i) to appoint or re-appoint or terminate the appointment of the Chancellor; (ii) to constitute the first Board of Governors of the University; (iii) to nominate the chairperson of the Board of Governors; (iv) to nominate three persons as members of the Board of Governors; (v) to nominate two persons as members of the Board of Management; (vi) to determine the source of funds to be contributed to the University Endowment Fund; (vii) to determine the application and spending of moneys by the University; (viii) to resolve any Conflict at the meeting of the Board of Governors in the manner provided for in this Act.