78-year-old Maharani’s College gets UGC’s coveted CPE tag

Bengaluru: Maharani's Science College for Women has added a feather to its cap. The 78-year-old institution established by Mysore Maharaja Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar has topped the list of Karnataka colleges which have been recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for its flagship scheme, College with Potential for Excellence (CPE).
Fifteen institutions from the state have been granted the CPE status under UGC's XII Plan for the period between 2016 and 2021.
Maharani's, which received grade A from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in March 2015, has been vying for the CPE status since 2013. "It was the Maharaja and his mother's vision to promote women's education during that time (1938). The dream is now being realized fully," a senior faculty member from the institution told TOI on Wednesday.
A grant of Rs 1.5 crore will be sanctioned to Maharani's for the next five years for its overall development. Karnataka comes a close second after neighbouring state Maharashtra, which has 27 colleges on the list.
Three other colleges from Bengaluru have gained the recognition — SJR College of Science, Arts and Commerce, Vijaya College and Malleswaram Ladies' Association First Grade College for Women. Institutions from across the state like KLE Society's Raja Lakhamagouda Science Institute, Belagavi; Field Marshal KM Cariappa College, Madikeri; Vivekananda College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Dakshina Kannada; JSS Law College, Mysuru and All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru have also made it to the list.
A total of 123 colleges across 20 states have been chosen for the CPE scheme, which will enable them to enhance infrastructure and improve academic standards through funds. "The scheme targets colleges, including self-financing institutions, which have the potential to achieve excellence in teaching, research and outreach activities," say UGC guidelines.
They further explain: "The number of colleges to be supported under the scheme will be a maximum of 6% of the number covered under Sections 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act. Those colleges which have shown outstanding achievements during the first phase of the scheme may be considered for the College of Excellence (CE) status during the second/third phases. The number of colleges in the CE category will not cross the figure of 100."
NO MEAN FEAT
UGC's elaborate guidelines make it challenging for even the best colleges in the country to receive the grant. Transparency during admissions, consistent academic improvement, innovations in curriculum, use of technology in academic and administrative activities and introduction of skill-oriented programmes are among the 18 criteria listed by UGC for aspiring colleges. The commission also expects colleges to be at least 10 years old and accredited at least grade B by NAAC. The scheme doesn't cover medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and agricultural colleges. Four committees are tasked with identifying colleges suitable for the status.
Why colleges?
While UGC was conferring the University with Potential for Excellence (UPE) status on deemed universities, the need to recognize colleges was realized during the commission's X Plan. The CPE scheme was introduced to support those colleges affiliated to larger universities, helping them go the extra mile in making academic and curriculum advancements.
HOW STATES FARE
State No. of colleges
Maharashtra: 27
Karnataka: 15
Andhra Pradesh: 13
Uttar Pradesh: 9
Gujarat: 8
Kerala, Punjab, West Bengal: 7 each