Educational Media Research Center

UGC Guidelines For Media Centre

Expression of Interest for online courses

Appendix I to Item No. – 4.02

UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION

GUIDELINES FOR MEDIA CENTRES

CONTENTS
I.	Credo of Countrywide Classroom.
II.	Guidelines for Establishment, Management, and Running of Media Centre
III.	Guidelines for Administrative and Financial Powers of Head of the Media Centre.
IV.	Guidelines for Purchase Procedures to be adopted by the Media Centre.

I. CREDO OF COUNTRYWIDE CLASSROOM

PREAMBLE
The rapid expansion of the television infrastructure has made it possible to take TV programmes to almost any location in the country, if appropriate reception equipment is installed. The UGC is aware of the vital role that a powerful medium like TV can play in the field of education. Recognizing this potential of TV, the UGC through the Countrywide Classroom project, seeks to use the vast TV network to take high-quality university-level education to even the most remote parts of the country. Thus, college students (and others) in small towns or remote places will have, through TV, access to the best teachers and high-quality audio-visual material.
The Credo seeks to spell out, in operational terms, the philosophy and approach of the Countrywide Classroom broadcasts. It is a framework and touchstone on the basis of which the appropriateness of a programme can be judged.

OBJECTIVES
The broadcasts will aim to upgrade, update and enrich the quality of education, while extending its reach. They will attempt to overcome the obsolescence of the syllabus and present the latest advances in all fields, including especially in the newly-emerging ones. The programmes will seek to arouse the interest of the viewers, to whet their appetite and to broaden their horizons. The aim is to stimulate and not satiate.

APPROACH
The programmes will not be based on or restricted to the syllabus. Instead, they would seek to provide new insights, bring in new findings and take students on vicarious tours of places and laboratories they would rarely see. Inter-relatedness of various disciplines, and of developmental problems, would be highlighted, so that the sum is greater than a total of the parts. While the programme will convey information, greater stress will be laid on the processes of converting information into knowledge and hopefully knowledge into wisdom. Thus, motivation, innovation, creativity and analysis will be the guiding elements. The pleasures of discovery, of inspiration and revelation, of hitting on a solution will be highlighted, as will the importance of searching, probing and questioning.

Programmes will seek to fully exploit the potential of the medium, specially:

- immediacy, for bringing to viewers the latest and exciting new findings.
- Omnipresence, for taking the viewers to “where the action is”: a research laboratory, a hospital, a village, or a conference,
- Animation and special effects, to help clarify concepts, highlight inherent structures or invisible process, etc.
- Visual power, for a vast variety of things, including demonstrations of all types.
- Intimacy, to involve the viewers and make them a part of the voyage of discovery, of the wonder and of enquiry.

PRESENTATION
The programmes will have, as an underlying thread, the unity of various disciplines. Thus, even though an individual programme may be on a specific subject, it will be informed by a multi-disciplinary approach. The inter-relationship of things and the problems and solutions – will be highlighted, as well as processes. These will have precedence over mere information transfer.

TARGET AUDIENCE
The primary target audience will be under-graduate college students studying in colleges located in small towns and rural areas. Other college students and teachers will be a secondary audience – to be kept in mind, but whose needs will not dictate programme content and approach. Separate and specific programmes may however, be made for teachers.
A large and interested non student population will certainly view the programmes. The existence of this audience must also be noted.

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II. GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHEMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND RUNNING OF THE MEDIA CENTRE

The Media Centre may be constituted by the University / Institution as a separate academic non-vacation department with autonomous status providing for administrative, academic, financial, and budgetary autonomy in its functioning.

The primary objective of the Media Centre will be to produce audio-visual programmes of education (formal and non-formal) and to conduct research in the hardware and software aspects of audio-visual technology for the UGC Countrywide Classroom project and for maximum utilization of the electronic media for education. In addition, it will undertake all such activities as are provided in guidelines issued by the Commission.

In order to look after its affairs, the Media Centre will have:
(1) A Board of Management as an apex body responsible for activities of the Media Centre.
(2) A Head of the Media Centre.

Board of Management
1. The composition of the Board of Management shall be as under:
  1. (a) Chairperson: Head of the Institution
  2. (b) Seven Members
  1. One eminent educationist / expert (from outside) from related subjects, who is not a member of any statutory body of the University / Institution, and who is nominated by the Vice-Chancellor / Principal / Director.
  2. One academic member of the Executive council /
    Governing Body / Syndicate of the University / Institution to be nominated by the Chairperson of the said body.
  3. One nominee of the Consortium.
  4. One nominee of the Commission who is an expert in the field of media. Two co-opted members by the Board of Management.
  5. Member – Secretary
    Head of the Media Centre in his / her ex-officio capacity.
2. This body will be responsible for all academic, administrative and financial affairs of the Media Centre and will over-view its activities, and give direction and focus so that it’s functioning be continued at a high level of quality and thereby enabling the Media Centre to attain and maintain excellence.
3. The Head of Media Centre may, with the permission of the Chairperson, invite any other expert to the meetings for consultation. Such invitees shall not have voting rights.
4. Term of the Members
  Tenure of the Members vide 4 (1) (b) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) shall be three years.
5. Meetings
  1. Ordinarily, the Board of Management may meet at least twice a year. In the event of urgency, a Special Meeting may be called by the Chairperson as and when required.
  2. Presence of five members, including the Chairperson, of the Board will form quorum at its meeting. However, if a meeting is adjourned for want of quorum, the Board shall meet at the same place on the same date, half an hour afterwards or as announced by the Chairperson to transact the business on the agenda (excluding “any other item”).
  3. In the absence of the Chairperson, members present may elect one from amongst themselves to chair the meeting.
  4. The Head shall give a clear notice of 15 days for meeting of the Board. In the case of Special or Extra ordinary Meeting, a clear notice of 7 days may be given.
Record of Meetings
Record of the business transaction of the Board of Management shall be maintained properly. Copies of minutes of the meetings of the Board of Management shall be forwarded to the University / Institution, Commission and the Consortium for information.

Head of the Media Centre
1. A full-time Director appointed in the Media Centre shall be its Head.
  Explanation:
  When a new Media Centre is being established, the University / Institution may give additional charge as Director to a Senior Professor of Faculty of the University / Institution for a period not exceeding one year in the initial stage. Extensions beyond one year will normally no be allowed; in exceptional circumstances, these will be considered by the Commission on case to case basis.
2. The Head shall be the principle excutive responsible for the smooth and efficient function of the Media Centre in pursuit of its objectives. He /she shall exercise such powers as are provided by the guidelines of the Commission and such other powers as may be delegated to him/her by the Board of Management of the Media Centre. In case of an emergency, the Head is authorized to take such appropriate action as is necessary in anticipation of the approval of the Board of Management, and then report the matter to it for ratification.
3. The tenure of Head who is a full-time Director vide 6 (1) shall be for a period not exceeding five years at a time or up to the age of 60 years whichever is earlier.

Personnel
Appointment of Media Centre staff including the Head shall be made by the Board of Management of the Media Centre on recommendation of the Selection Committee constituted by it for the purpose. The appointing authority, i.e. the Board of Management of the Media Centre shall be the disciplinary authority also.

Finances
1. The Media Centre will receive funds from the Commission through the University / Institution. For the purpose, the Centre shall submit its annual budget estimates through the University for the next year to the Commission by 3th September of every year. Also, it shall submit revised budget estimates for current year to the Consortium by 20th September.
2. In addition, it will raise its own funds from other sources though consultancy, government and public sector agencies, private organizations, industries, philanthropists, etc. in furtherance of objectives of the Media Centre and in keeping with the guidelines laid down for the purpose by the commission. Proposals for and any receipts of foreign funds would require the prior approval of the Commission.
3. The University Institution will be provided by the Commission funds for meeting the recurring expenditure of the Media Centre, generally, in four instalments in a year. The University / Institution shall transfer these funds to the Media Centre after retaining amount for salary, provident and pension fund duly apportioned on the basis of the budget approved by the Commission. In case there is a shortfall or delay in receiving grants from the Commission, the University / Institution shall disburse the salary of the Media Centre staff from its own resources to be replenished after receiving grants from the Commission. In respect of grants received for non-recurring and other specific purposes, the same shall be wholly transferred to the Media Centre.
4. Accounts in respect of funds received by the Media Centre shall be maintained by it. They shall be annually audited by the statutory auditors of the University / Institution.
5. The Media Centre shall submit a quarterly statement of expenditure on prescribed proforma to the Commission. The year-ending Balance Sheet and Income and Expenditure Statement, duly audited as per University / Institution norms and as approved by the Board of Management of the Media Centre shall be submitted to the University / Institution and Commission latest by 30th June.
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III.GUIDELINES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL POWERS OF HEAD OF THE MEDIA CENTRE

The following powers shall be exercised by Head of the Media Centre subject to various guidelines issued by the Commission from time to time.
1. To sanction and incur expenditure on items in the approved budget including the following:
  1. Purchase of capital goods including production, research and office equipment, furniture, air-conditioning plants, power generators, and others, and on their operation, repairs and maintenance.
  2. Purchase of books, audio / video tapes, journals and magazines including subscriptions for them, binding charges, micro-filming of spoiled books and back volumes of journals, and related incidental expenses etc.
  3. Purchase of consumables, stores, apparatus, chemicals, cloth, uniforms, etc.
  4. Services like water, electricity, telephone, telex, fax, computer facilities, electronic mail and network systems, insurance, etc. Direct telephone connections are to the provided in the office and the residence of Head of the Media Centre.
  5. Repair and period specific maintenance contracts for the service and maintenance of vehicles, equipment, etc.
  6. Hiring of equipment, vehicles, taxis, production facilities / property, etc.
  7. Printing, stationery, advertising in media, postage and telegrams, etc.
  8. Hospitality, incidental expenses on visiting faculty, and technical and other personnel.
  9. Overtime allowances to the Media Centre staff as per the University / Institution rules.
  10. Medical costs as per the University / Institution rules.
  11. Approval of the budget for individual programme production within the total budget allocation, and to sanction and incur expenditure thereof.
  12. Repair and alterations in the civil works, maintenance and development of garden of the Media Centre compound.
  13. Any other expenditure relevant to the functioning of the Media Centre.
  14. To hire artists, commentators, subject experts, script writers, camerapersons, editors, translators, researchers, and other free lancers and casual labour for the purpose of production of programmes and meeting the needs of the Media Centre, and sanction and pay them fees / honorarium as per the guidelines issued by the Commission.
    
    Explanation:
    Persons employed in departments, other than the Media Centre, of the University / Institution are eligible for receiving the said fees / honorarium. However, persons directly associated in the day-to-day functioning of the Media Centre shall not be eligible for receiving this payment against production of programmes.
  15. Assign production of programmes to outside agencies on contractual basis, and pay them fees as per the guidelines issued by the Commission.
  16. To make adhoc appointments of staff for not more than 3 months at a time of all categories, as sanctioned for the Media Centre by the Commission, subject to the specified minimum qualifications and experience.
  17. For selection / appointment of all categories of Media Centre Staff, and subject to the terms and conditions laid down in the relevant guidelines, to:
    1. Prepare and approve the draft advertisement for inviting applications for the normal recruitment of all categories of staff as laid down in the guidelines relating to the staff matters, and to release the advertisement.
    2. Receive and process all applications for staff positions so advertised.
    3. Determine eligibility of applicants for calling them for interviews in consultation with Chairperson and the Selection Committee.
    4. Make arrangements for holding the interviews which will include:
    5. To specify, from time to time, the job requirements of all staff in the Media Centre.
    6. To sanction leave to the Media Centre staff as per University rules.
    7. To approve tour programmes and sanction resultant expenditure of all staff and also those on assignment, adhoc or casual basis. Where required, the tour expenses may be directly met by the Media Centre, and the staff allowed 25 per cent of the daily allowance. Further, wherever required, expenditure on air travel, local, conveyance, communication, porterage, etc., may be approved on actual basis at the discretion of the Head of the Media Centre. In case of Director, Chairperson of the Board of Management will sanction tour, etc. However, foreign travel /tours of all categories of staff will require approval of the Commission.
    8. To organize seminars / workshops / conferences / refresher courses, etc., as per the approved budget, and to incur all expenses related thereto, including travel and incidental expenses on resource and other personnel. This includes the power to fix and collect such fees deemed necessary in income-generating / self-supporting seminars, etc., and also to fix honoraria / remuneration and make payments accordingly to faculty and other personnel connected with such programmes accordingly to faculty and other personnel connected with such programmes organized by the Media Centre.
    9. To permit Media Centre staff to attend academic and production oriented conferences, symposia, seminars, refresher courses, trade exhibitions, etc., and sanction and incur related expenses including travel.
    10. To dispose off as scrap equipment, machinery, furniture and such other materials that have out-lived their utility as per the University / Institution norms.
    11. To dispose off old records as per the University / Institution norms.
    12. To sanction –
      (1) Payment of advances against proforma invoices to parties for making purchases.
      (2) Cash advances for making petty purchases for running various activities of the Media Centre.
      (3) Festival or other such approved advances.
      (4) Leave travel advances.
      (5) Tour advances.
      (6) Advances for attending conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops, refresher courses, trade exhibitions, etc.
    13. To seek, accept, invest and / or deposit donations / financial assistance / earnings from government, public / private, national agencies received for the Media Centre, and sanction, incur and disburse expenditure from such funds / donations / earnings so received as per the guidelines thereof.
    14. To manage and regulate the fiances, accounts, investments, properties, etc., placed at the disposal of the Media Centre.
    15. To fix demand, and receive such fees and other charges (as regulated by the Commission guidelines) for services rendered by the Media Centre.
    16. To administer funds placed at the disposal of the Media Centre for specific purposes.
    17. In pursuance of effective exercise of the powers listed above, to open a saving / current account in the name of the (name of the Media Centre i.e., Audio-Visual Research Centre or Educational Media Research Centre, as the case may be, followed by the name of the University / Institution) with any nationalized Bank and Director / Officiating Director, Administrative Officer and Accounts Officer of the Centre be authorized to operate it as drawing and disbursing officer; and further to hold an imprest advance of up to Rs. 10,000.
    UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION
    
    IV. GUIDELINES FOR PURCHASE PROCEDURES TO BE ADOPTED BY THE MEDIA CENTRE
    
    1. Indent
  18. All proposals for purchase should invariably be made in the appropriate indent form. Indent should give comprehensive specifications / information about the item(s) to be procured and suggested / possible suppliers. All indents for items included in the approved budget will be originated / countersigned by one of the following; engineer, media librarian, office manager, producer, and research scientist, or any other person authorized by Head of the Media Centre
  19. The indent will thereafter be put up to the Head of the Media Centre for approval. In case the cost of any unapproved single item exceeds Rs. One lakh, the indent shall have to be approved by the Board of Management before the purchase is made.
  20. In-charge of the purchase section will obtain quotations / enquiry details in accordance with the General Guidelines contained herein and prepare a comparative statement with the help of the indenter, where necessary. Based on this, the indenter will make a recommendation
  21. After the indent and purchase is approved by the competent authority, Purchase Order will be prepared for each and every item in the proforma prescribed by the University / Institution. The purchase order will be centrally issued by the office manager / Head of the Media Centre. Five copies of the purchase order will be prepared to be distributed as follows:
  22. When the goods are delivered, the indenter will check all the items and ensure that they are in conformity with purchase order. He / she will certify on the bill that the goods are in order and that there are no damages. Thereafter, he / she will submit the bill and other documents, if any, to the Accounts section of the Media Centre.
  23. After certification by the indenter, the purchase order along with the bills etc., will be sent to Purchase section of the Media Centre for making entry in the stock register and also for making an endorsement to that effect. Thereafter, the purchase order along with the bills, etc., will be sent to the Accounts section for passing and payment. Normally, all payments should be made within 10 days of receipt of the bills duly certified by the indenter.
  24. Advance payment will be allowed only in very special cases on the basis of proforma invoices from the party / supplier. For making advance payments, prior approval of Head of the Media Centre will required.
  25. Following endorsement will be made on the Purchase Order and the bills:
    Entered in stock register volume
    no. _______ at page no. ____ item no.________
    
    This should be verified by the Accounts section / in-charge. The stock register should be submitted to the Head by 5th of every month.
    Thereafter, the material number should be got inscribed on the equipment / furniture as per the following scheme:
    
    Initials of the Media Centre /
    Initials of the University –
    Institution / Abbreviated name
    of the item purchased / Number /
    Volume number of the stock
    Register / Page number of the
    entry in the stock register /
    year of purchase
  26. The general guidelines followed by the University / Institution for purchases, etc. be adopted.