Restructuring UGC among Smriti Irani?s top 100-day priorities

HRD minister Smriti Irani is turning her attention to transforming the University Grants Commission into a bona fide higher education regulator that is in tune with the changing landscape in the sector. Restructuring and refocusing UGC from a grant-disbursing organization to one that maintains standards and regulates the sector is among Irani's top 100-day priorities.

Officials said the growth in the sector with private players, and possible entry of foreign education institutions has meant that the UGC would need to expand its regulatory functions. UGC was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1956, and is the statutory body for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in the country. However, it had already been in existence since 1952 at which time the function of allocating public funds to central universities and other universities was entrusted to the UGC. Over the years, despite the changes in the higher education sector, the Commission's emphasis has continued to be on its grant disbursal functions.

Irani's focus is in keeping with the BJP's poll promise of restructuring the UGC to transform it into a Higher Education Commission. The transformation will be effected by amending the UGC Act. Ministry officials are already working on the amendments, before it can be vetted by the law ministry and sent for inter-ministerial consultations, after which it will be taken up for approval by the Cabinet and then introduced in Parliament.

The amendments, which are still in the works, will broaden the UGC's functions, which are currently mostly focused on disbursing grants, ascertaining the quantum of the grant and determining the universities and colleges that qualify for these grants. The UGC is also charged with regulation of fees and prohibition of donations in certain cases, inspection of universities, and advice governments on matters related to setting up and functioning of universities and maintaining standards.
imolope youtube imolope 90 imolope youtube
More News
Assam to scrap Class 10 board exams from next year, state CM announces
The Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that the Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA) will not conduct Class 10 (HSLC) board exams from next academic year. As per the official announcement, from now on, the Madhyamik level exa...
Tripura TBSE announces Madhyamik and HS board exam results, pass rate in Higher Secondary dips
TBSE Tripura Madhyamik, HS Results 2023: Results of both Class 10 and 12 board examinations conducted by the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) were declared on Monday with 86.02 per cent and 83.24 pass rate registered in the two segmen...
Maharashtra Board SSC 10th Results 2023 Live: 151 students scored 100%, result available at mahresult.nic.in
Maharashtra SSC 10th Results 2023 Live Updates: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) declared the results for Class 10 board examinations 2023 on June 2 at 11 am. However, the resu...
Rajasthan Board RBSE 5th Result 2023 Live: Result out at rajshaladarpan.nic.in, 97.30% students passed
RBSE Rajasthan Board 5th Result 2023 Live Updates: The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) announced the results of Class 5 final exams 2023 today (June 1). Students who appeared for the exam can check their results at the of...
Odisha +2 Results 2023 Updates: Official website orissaresults.nic.in down; why has pass percentage dropped?
Odisha Class 12th Result 2023 Live Updates: The Council for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) Odisha on May 31 released the Class 12 results. Students will be able to check their scores at the official websites – chseodisha....
CUET UG 2023: 73.33% out of 1.49 lakh appear on Day 4
CUET UG 2023: University Grants Commission Chief M Jagadesh Kumar Monday (May 29) shared figures from Day 4 of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG 2023. The total number of candidates scheduled was 1,49,900 and the attendance...
UPSC Civil Services Prelims Exam 2023: Increased difficulty level may result in lower cut-off, say experts
The UPSC conducted the Civil Services 2023 Prelims exam on May 28. As per experts, the question paper was a mixed bag of moderate to difficult questions. However, most students found the paper to be difficult and time-consuming. Praveen ...
CUET UG 2023: NTA releases admit cards for May 29-June 2; steps to download
The National Testing Agency has released admit cards for the upcoming exam dates of the Common University Entrance Test, Undergraduate (CUET UG) 2023. Registered candidates can now check and download their admit cards from the official...
NTA releases exam dates for CUET UG 2023, NEET UG 2023 in Manipur
After reviewing the law and order situation in Manipur, the National Testing Agency has decided to conduct the Common University Entrance Test (UG and PG) 2023 and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG tes...
CUET UG 2023 intimation slip released for exam from May 29 onwards; check steps to download
CUET intimation slip 2023: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Wednesday released the city intimation slip for the remaining Common University Entrance Test 2023 (CUET – 2023) exams at their official website. Students ...