Mysuru:  The University Grants Commission (UGC) has granted full autonomous status under Category II for the century-old University of Mysore (UoM), for having maintained high standards of excellence. The letter in this regard has been sent from the UGC office in New Delhi yesterday afternoon.

Mysore Varsity In-charge Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. C. Basavaraju, speaking to SOM said that the UGC, out of 780 Universities in the country has given full autonomous status to 19 Universities and added that Mysore University is the only one in the State which has been given the autonomous status.

The other institutions in the State in the Category II are private ones — Jain University, Bengaluru; Manipal Academy of Higher Education; KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, Belagavi and JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru.

As per the UGC regulations, a University, which has been accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with 3.51 and above scores or the one which figures among the top 500 world Universities in an international rating, is entitled to grant of greater autonomy in functioning under Category I.

The Universities, which have been accredited by NAAC with a score of 3.26 and above, up to 3.50, are placed under Category II. Rest of the Universities are placed under Category III.

With the autonomous status, the UoM will have the freedom to enrol foreign students, give incentive-based emoluments to the teaching faculty, can enter into academic collaborations and also run open distance learning programmes.