Ahmedabad: Gujarat govt’s Common Act, introduced in July 2023 to bring uniformity, consistency and a common decision-making framework across state govt universities, has itself become a source of administrative confusion, sources said.Though the act faced resistance when it was proposed, govt went ahead with its implementation. However, inconsistencies in several statutes have reportedly complicated its execution. Following representations from vice-chancellors of various universities, govt constituted a committee to suggest amendments and modifications to the statutes.Sources said the committee has submitted its recommendations, and govt is expected to announce amendments shortly. Until then, universities continue to face uncertainty over a range of administrative and academic procedures.The impact has been particularly pronounced at Gujarat University (GU). “Owing to inconsistencies in the statutes, the university is yet to frame its ordinances. In addition, an academic council has not been constituted for nearly three years. The executive council, or syndicate, currently comprises only govt-nominated members, while the board of management is also non-functional,” said an academician.While some universities have framed ordinances under the act, they too have encountered difficulties, particularly in matters related to the tenure of deans and the calculation of faculty experience.
