University Grants Commission MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

1. PREAMBLE
Realizing the potential of the use of electronic media in education as a means to cost effectively reach a wide audience, enrich the quality of higher education and equalize access to quality instruction, the UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION, hereafter called the Commission, has been utilizing the INDIAN Satellite (INSAT) system for broadcasting high quality educational material. A need has however been felt to provide an institutional framework for sustaining and enhancing these activities. For this purpose, the Commission has, under Section 12(cc) of its Act (No. 3 of 1956) and Regulations (Establishment and Maintenance of Institutions), 1985, established the CONSORTIUM FOR EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATION, hereafter called the Consortium, as a nodal agency at the national level, to address itself to the media needs of higher education in the country including configuring new communication technology, to coordinate and guide the work of media centre, to provide a thrust to marketing and dissemination of programmes, and to promote communication research as well as audio-visual culture in the university system.
With the objective of producing audio-visual programmes, conduct of relevant research, training of necessary manpower, and promotion of related culture in the university system for the maximum utilization of the electronic media for education, and at the request of the authorities of University of Poona, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007 (name and place of the university or institution), hereafter called the University / Institution, the Commission has located Audio-Visual Research CENTRE / Educational Media Research Centre / Mass Communication Research Centre, hereafter called the Media Centre, at the said University / Institution.
This Memorandum of Understanding
  1. appreciates the participation of the University / Institution in the UGC’s countrywide programme of educational communication;

  2. emphasizes the joint responsibility of the Commission, the University / Institution, and the Consortium to structure, evolve, and sustain the use of electronic media in educational communication.

  3. realizes the essentiality of close academic linkages between the University / Institution and the Media Centre to meet the objectives of the latter in its endeavour to produce educational programmes for electronic media and to evolve and establish audio-visual culture in the university system;

  4. recognize the need for freedom and flexibility in operation of the Media Centre in view of the demands on it of transmission and production of video and radio programmes, and also related research;

  5. acknowledges the necessity for parity in organizational structure, operation, etc. among Media centre established in various universities / institutions for the strength of this programme of national and importance;

  6. foresees provision of adequate plan and non-plan funds by the Commission on a continuing basis for the development and operation of the Media Centre; and

  7. spells out the functions and responsibilities of the Commission, Consortium, the University / Institution, and the Media Centre.


2. THE COMMISSION
 The Commission undertakes to:

A) Establishment
  • 2.1 Provide initial funds for establishment of the Media Centre as recommended by the Consortium.
    2.2 Provide general guidelines on policy matters.
    2.3 Monitor the funds allocated to the Media Centre.

B) Operation
  • 2.4 Provide help in negotiating and obtaining customs duty exemption from the relevant ministries or Government departments for importing equipment, tapes, software, and other items for use of the Media Centre.

C) Programme Production and Research
  • 2.5 Provide funds for production of programmes, and generation and dissemination of relevant research work.

D) General
2.6   Review and evaluate functioning of the Media Centre at least once in three years.
2.7   Following the general guidelines issued from time to time by the Commission for extending financial assistance under its various schemes, retain the authority (a) to stop future sanctions and / or release of funds to the Media Centre, (b) to withdraw earlier sanctions and unutilized funds released thereunder, and (c) to transfer all equipment, machines, furniture, property, items, etc., purchased by the University / Institution / Media Centre out of the funds provided by the Commission / Consortium, at its discretion to the Consortium / other Media Centre(s), if in the considered opinion of the Commission / Consortium, any part or whole of the provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding is / are not implemented by the University / Institution / Media Centre.


3. THE CONSORTIUM
 The consortium undertakes to:

A) Establishment
3.1   Provide guidelines, in accordance with the Commission’s general policies, for establishment of the Media Centre, and participate with University / Institution in its management.
3.2   Grant probational, temporary, associate or full constituent membership to the Media Centre depending upon its autonomous and operational status.
3.3   Provide guidelines in respect of the number, categories, pay-scales, qualifications, and procedure for recruitment, promotion, and exit of the Media Centre staff which is supported by the Commission. These guidelines would fully and appropriately take into account the procedures and practices of the University / Institution.
3.4   Provide guidelines for the delegation of administrative and financial powers to head of the Media Centre.
3.5   Provide guidelines and technical advice in respect of purchase and installation of the production facilities and equipment.
3.6   Provide guidelines for purchase procedures to be adopted by the Media centre.
3.7   Establish a mechanism for receiving, capsuling, and forwarding programmes for broadcast to Doordarshan, All India Radio / Akashvani, and other agencies, and also for their distribution.
3.8   Establish appropriate mechanism for preserving master copies of the programmes produced by the Media Centre(s) and other agencies.


B) Operation
3.9   Coordiante and monitor functioning of the Media Centre(s)
3.10   Network and collaborate with other agencies in India & abroad in the field of educational communication.
3.11   Advise, on mutual consultation, transfer / loan equipment, accessories, spare parts, etc., and also depute personnel from one Media Centre to another or to the Consortium.
3.12   Receive budget proposals from the Media Centre and advise the Commission for making appropriate budget allocation.


c) Programme Production
3.13   Provide guidelines / credo for the type an quality of programmes to be produced a the Media Centres(s).
3.14   Provide forum for the active involvement of academics in the creation of appropriate educational programmes, and organize workshops, exchange of scholars, etc. to this end.
3.15   Convene periodic meetings of the heads and / or other personnel of Media Centre(s) for coordinating, planning and monitoring of the programmes produced at and overall progress of the Media Centre(s).
3.16   Own, on behalf of the Commission, the copyright for all broadcast, non-broadcast, and publishing purposes of all


D) Staff
3.17   Provide for training and overall human resource development in the field of educational communication for the staff and academics associated with eh Media Centre(s)
     
3.18   Evaluate periodically the work of the Media Centre in general.


E) Research
3.19   Promote, coordinate and monitor – jointly with the Univeristy / Institution – the research activities of the Media Centre both in hardware and software.


F) General
3.20   Interpret and clarify its guidelines wherever necessary. Such interpretations and clarifications shall be applicable to all Media Centres.


4. THE UNIVERSITY / INSTITUTION
 The University / Institution undertakes to:

A) Infrastructure
4.1   Provide the necessary infrastructure agreed upon in respect of the space, building, water and public health connections, electricity load, etc for establishment of the Media Centre.


B) Establishment
4.2   Adopt the guidelines provided by the Consortium in respect of establishment of the Media Centre, and participate with the Consortium in its management
4.3   Constitute the Media Centre as a separate, academic, non-vacation, autonomous department functioning under its head.
4.4   Grant the administrative and financial powers of a head of the department of University / Institution to the head of the Media Centre, and also delegate such powers as are provided by the Consortium in the relevant guidelines.
4.5   Provide support services like those of library, internal communication, guest house, hostel, canteens, public works, etc., to the Media Centre, and facilities like sports, medical and health care, faculty and cultural clubs, staff quarters, transport, etc., to its staff.
4.6   Ensure that the funds allocated and released for the Media Centre are transferred to its bank account.


C) Operation
4.7   Encourage the academic staff of the University / Institution to contribute to audio-visual and research programmes and receive honoraria / fees as per the guidelines of the Consortium, and to credit such contribution on par with other academic activities.


D) Staff / Recruitment
4.8   Treat the academic, technical and other staff of the Media Centre as equivalent to teaching, technical and other staff of the University / institution.


E) General
4.9   Discuss with the Commission the manner of funding of the infrastructure and other support provided by the University / institution to the Media Centre.
4.10   Make efforts to raise additional resources through projects, etc. utilizing the Media Centre facilities and staff, after ensuring that its commitments to the Consortium are fully met, and on the basis of guidelines laid down by the Consortium for such activities.



5. THE MEDIA CENTRE
 The Media Centre will undertake:

A) Establishment
5.1   Observe the guide lines provided by the Consortium in respect of establishment, management, and running of the Media Centre under the joint aegis of the Consortium and University / Institution.
5.2   Ensure that the Media Centre becomes operational within the time-frame as stipulated by the Consortium.
5.3   Observe the budgetary provisions and expeditiously utilize the funds allocated by the Commission strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by Consortium from time to time.


B) Operation
5.4   Observe guidelines provided by the Consortium in respect of purchase procedures, use of equipment, payment to persons for contribution to audio-visual programmes ad research and all activities of the Media Centre.
5.5   Prepare and forward budget proposals to the Consortium as per the guidelines provided by it.
5.6   Send monthly and other reports to the Consortium in the prescribed proforma.
5.7   Ensure that the head, or in rare cases his / her nominee, regularly attends the meetings convened by the Consortium.
5.8   Advise and guide official agencies in matters relating to the use of educational / Instructional technology.
5.9   Conduct appropriate research into all aspects of hardware and software for educational communication both as an independent activity as also a coordinated effort with the Consortium and other Media centre, disseminate knowledge, and send periodic reports to the Consortium.
5.10   Adopt advice of the Consortium with regard to the transfer / loan of equipment, accessories, spare parts, etc. and also with regard to the deputation of personnel from one Media Centre to another or to the Consortium.


C) Production of Programmes
5.11   Observe the guidelines provided by the Consortium in respect of credo for the type and quality of programmes to be produced by the Media Centre.
5.12   Prepare and forward periodical programme plans to the Consortium
5.13   Produce and send to the Consortium the target number of programmes per month as assigned by it from time to time.
5.14   Take active steps to encourage the participation of academics of the University / Institution and other universities and institutions, practitioners, and other resource persons in the programmes produced by the Media Centre, and pay them honoraria / fees as per the guidelines of the Consortium.
5.15   Check all programmes produced by the Media Centre for accuracy, academic soundness, and technical quality.
5.16   Organize training programmes to expose the academic staff of the University / Institution, and other organizations to the electronic media and to motivate them to experiment with software production.
5.17   Ensure that all copyright rules are scrupulously observed.
5.18   Ensure that advertising type publicity is not given to commercial and other organizations or products.


D) Staff
5.19   Adopt the guidelines provided by the Consortium in respect of number, categories, pay-scales, and allowances thereon, qualifications, and procedure for recruitment, promotion, and exit of the staff are adopted, and recruit the Media Centre staff expeditiously.
5.20   Provide opportunities to the staff of the Media Centre to improve this professional skills through participation in seminars, symposia, conferences, workshops trade exhibitions, etc.
5.21   Adopt the rules of the University / Institution – with no financial burden on the University / Institution – in respect of house rent, housing loans, travelling and daily allowances, all kinds of leave, leave travel concession, leave encashment, vehicle loans, gratuity, bonus pension / contributory provident fund, group insurance, etc.


E) General
5.22   Ensure that all property, equipment, services, etc. created, acquired or established for the Media Centre are used to meet its objectives.