Policy Making Bodies

The Academic Senate

The Academic Senate is the highest policy-making body consisting of faculty members drawn from the University, its affiliated institutions, Principals of the University and affiliated colleges, nominees of the Government, legislators, and professionals. The Vice-Chancellor presides over the Academic Senate. It formulates academic policies and provides leadership for maintaining the standard and quality of education and research in the University. It advises the Boards of Studies on academic matters and is responsible for the constitution or reconstitution of Faculties and teaching departments. It makes regulations relating to the administration and evaluation of students. The annual report and the budget of the University must be approved by the Senate before implementation.

Executive Council

The Executive Council is the most important body in the University administration and enjoys the real powers of decision-making. It consists of elected, nominated, and ex-officio members. The elected members represent both the University and affiliated colleges, as well as the Academic Senate. Nominated members are drawn from industry, commerce, as well as the legal, engineering, and medical professions. The ex-officio members are officials of the Government. The Vice-Chancellor and the Rector are its ex-officio members, and the former presides over the meetings of the Executive Council.

The Executive Council wields authority over the University's property and funds. All administrative matters are decided by the Executive Council. Functions such as the appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff, disciplinary control over them, matters relating to examinations and the conferral of degrees, inspection of colleges and departments of the University, conferral of honorary degrees, conferral of autonomy on the colleges and departments, recognition, and affiliation of colleges and other institutions are some of its important functions. The Executive Council is responsible for formulating the regulations, statutes, and ordinances of the University, which form the basis for its day-to-day working. It can delegate any of its powers to the Vice-Chancellor or to a committee or to any individual in the University.

Planning and Monitoring Board

The Planning and Monitoring Board, under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor, periodically reviews the developmental programs, teaching and research arrangements in different departments and Faculties, and prepares respective plans. It comprises Principals, Deans, and educationists nominated by the Government and the University Grants Commission.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Council presided over by the Vice-Chancellor. Three members of the Executive Council (one of whom should represent the accounting sector) are nominated by the Executive Council to be members of this Committee. The Finance Officer of the University serves as its Secretary. The Committee examines and reviews the financial position, annual accounts, and Budget of the University. It advises the Executive Council on all financial matters, including the Budget.

Standing Committee

The Academic Senate meets only twice a year. Matters requiring its approval are numerous and varied. To deal with day-to-day academic matters on its behalf, a Standing Committee is constituted. It consists of the Deans of all the Faculties and the elected members of the Academic Senate. All matters requiring the approval of the Senate are referred to the Standing Committee for decision. Later, all such decisions are placed before the Senate for ratification. Due to the expansion of the University, both in terms of the number of colleges and the courses offered, matters requiring the approval of the Senate have increased substantially. Therefore, the Standing Committee meets very frequently.

Faculties

The University Act provides for the constitution of Faculties for groups of related disciplines. At present, there are twelve Faculties, namely, Social Sciences, Arts, Science, Engineering, Technology, Law, Education, Commerce, Business Management, Informatics, Oriental Languages, and Pharmacy. Faculties assist the Academic Senate in all matters falling within their jurisdiction. Each Faculty is headed by a Dean and comprises representatives from departments constituting the Faculty. The Dean provides the required academic leadership to the Faculty in all academic matters."

Boards of Studies

A Board of Studies is constituted in each department for both Post-Graduate and Undergraduate courses. It consists of a Chairman nominated by the Executive Council, teachers from the concerned Department, and experts from outside the University. Each Board of Studies makes recommendations through its Faculties to the Academic Council regarding courses of study, syllabi, and examination schemes. It also recommends panels of persons for appointment as examiners to the Executive Council.

The Departmental Committees

Each Department has a Departmental Committee consisting of the Chairperson and teachers of the department nominated by the University. All administrative matters and organization of various academic programs are dealt with by the Departmental Committee. It assists the Department Head in implementing departmental policies and programs.

Departmental Conferences

Osmania University is an affiliating University. Many colleges, offering both Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs, are affiliated with it. To discuss common academic and administrative matters, each Department convenes a Conference of all the faculty members working in the University and its constituent and affiliated colleges, once or twice a year. The Conference discusses course curricula, academic schedules, various aspects of teaching and research, evaluation, etc., concerning the discipline. The Conference provides feedback to the Department on all academic matters, especially teaching and research.