(1)The Academic Council shall be the principal academic authority of the University, responsible for regulating and maintaining the standards of teaching, research and evaluation in the University. It shall also be responsible for laying down the academic policies for maintenance and improvement of standards of teaching, research, extension, collaborative programme in academic matters and evaluation of the workload of the, teachers, under policy guidance of Senate and Syndicate.

(2)The Academic Council shall meet as and when required, but not less than four times in a year.

(3)The tenure for nominated members of Academic Council shall be three years.

(4)The Academic Council shall consist of the following members, namely:Members

(a)Vice Chancellor – Chairperson;

(b)Pro-Vice Chancellor;

(c)Financial Advisor;

(d)Dean (Academic Affairs);

(e)Dean of each faculty;

(f)Controller of Examinations;

(g)Finance Officer;

(h)the Vice Chancellor shall nominate the following members, on seniority basis and also on the basis of additional criteria as may be prescribed by the Statutes:

(i)three Principals of constituent colleges which are accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) or National Board of Accreditation (NBA), as the case may be, out of whom one shall be woman and one shall be a person belonging Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes or PVTG:

Provided thatfor the Universities as mentioned in Schedule-III of this Act, three Head of Departments shall be nominated on rotation basis, and

(ii)two University professors, out of whom one shall be a person belonging Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes or PVTG by rotation;

(i)two teachers, representing each faculty, with not less than fifteen years of teaching experience to be nominated by the Vice Chancellor, out of whom one shall be a person belonging Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes or PVTG or Other Backward Class:

Provided that,out of the teachers representing each faculty, under this clause, one shall be a woman;

(j)one nominated representative of the Syndicate;

(k)representative of Director, Higher Education not below the rank of Deputy Director;

(l)representative of Director, Technical Education not below the rank of Deputy Director;

(m)eight eminent experts from the institutes or organisations of national or state repute, such as Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Space Research Organisation, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Institute of Cost Accountants of India, Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Indian Council for Social Research, Industrial Associations, Indian Olympic Association and allied fields and as much as possible representing all the faculties, nominated by Vice Chancellor;

(n)Director, Human Resource Management;

(o)Director, Student Affairs;

(p)Director, Inclusive, Education;

(q)an eminent person from Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries in the field of business and industry can be a member, as nominated Chancellor. by the Vice,

(r)one member nominated by Jharkhand State Faculty Development Academy;

(s)one member nominated by Jharkhand State Higher Education Council;

(t)one member nominated by Jharkhand Council on Science, Technology and Innovation; and

(u)Registrar – Member Secretary: At least one-third of the total members to be nominated by the Vice Chancellor shall be women, provided that, for Universities designated as Women Universities, three-fourth of the total members to be nominated by the Vice Chancellor shall be women.

(5)The Academic Council shall have the following powers and duties, namely: —

(a)to ensure that the University becomes a vibrant hub for teaching, learning, research and development, interactions and linkages with industries, cultivation of intellectual property rights and entrepreneurship and incubation of knowledge linked industries;

(b)to ensure in-demand market relevant courses are introduced in collaboration with industry having practical or hand-on training;

(c)to consider and approve with modifications, if any, the matters referred to it by the Board of Studies through the faculty;

(d)to frame curriculum as per latest norms of UGC;

(e)to seek opinion and recommendation from the JSFDA for regular updation of course structure, curriculum, pedagogy and delivery mechanism;

(f)to ensure that the spirit of research and entrepreneurship percolates to all colleges and recognized institutions of the University;

(g)to approve fees, other fees and charges as recommended by the fee fixation committee;

(h)to recommend to the institution of degrees, diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions;

(i)to propose draft of University Ordinances relating to the academic matter to the Syndicate;

(j)to allocate Departments to the faculties;

(k)to prescribe qualifications and norms for appointment of paper-setters, examiners, moderators and others, concerned with the conduct of examinations and evaluation;

(l)to consider and make recommendations to the Syndicate for creation of posts of teaching and non-teaching staff, for self-financed courses only, as per the qualifications prescribed by UGC or concerned regulatory body, in concurrence with the Finance and Accounts Committee;

(m)to accord recognition to various certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and degrees programmes run by constituent or affiliated colleges, in consonance with the norms of the University Grants Commission and the State Government;

(n)to recommend to the Syndicate the comprehensive perspective plan of academics;

(o)to recommend to the conferment of autonomous status on affiliated or constituent colleges in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes;

(p)to approve new courses, inter-disciplinary courses and short-term training programmes referred to it by the concerned Board of Studies;

(q)to approve the, course syllabi16 paper-setters, examiners and moderators, and evaluation schemes of various courses recommended by the faculty concerned;

(r)to advise the Vice Chancellor, on all academic matters and submit financial feasibility report to the Syndicate on academic programmes;

(s)to work out the procedures, policies and practices to introduce more flexible approach to education and of ‘adaptive pace of learning’ with minimum and maximum duration for completion of a degree and other academic programmes;

(t)to ensure that the research projects are an integral part of curriculum for undergraduate and post-graduate programmes;

(u)to prepare academic calendar of the University for the subsequent academic year as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission and the State Government, three months before the completion of the current academic year;

(v)to recommend to the Syndicate establishment of departments, colleges, centres, institutions of higher learning, research and specialized studies; and

(w)to exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be conferred or imposed on it by or under this Act, the Statutes, University Ordinances and Rules.

(6)The Academic Council shall refer all matters or decisions involving financial implications to the Syndicate for approval with due concurrence of Finance and Accounts Committee.