What is UGC (University Grants Commission)

What is UGC (University Grants Commission)?

The main objective and role of the UGC in higher education are to provide funding to universities and to coordinate, determine, and maintain ethics in higher education institutions. The commission supports interpretation between universities, the government, and the community.

The UGC has also set some standards for universities to be approved by the UGC. With the growth of higher education in India, many high-level, medium, and small universities are established day by day. Among these universities, there are many fake and non-UGC-compliant universities. Therefore, the University Grants Commission published a list of fake universities in India to help students recognize these rejected universities.

UGC Established in 1953, the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is headed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) based in New Delhi. The University Grant Commission has granted the academic equivalence of the title of Chartered Accountant to the postgraduate degree. Consequently, the statutory auditor can now pursue a doctorate. Across all Indian universities as members against 106 universities, two IITs and seven IIMs currently recognize the title of official accounting for specific doctoral application purposes.

The attribution of equivalence of the Statutory Auditor course to the master’s Course will make the Statutory Auditors eligible for presentation in the National Eligibility Test (NET) carried out by the University Scholarships Commission. This will make chartered accountants eligible for a scholarship for young researchers or assistant professors at nearby universities.

Considering the CA course as equivalent to a graduate degree will also help CA members who aspire to go abroad to pursue higher education and/or pursue professional opportunities abroad. IAS aspirants can correlate these topics with current events to get a higher score.

Importance

University Grants Commission recognition is mandatory for universities and colleges, public and private, to administer courses and enroll students. For example, universities are not allowed to use the name “University” other than a university established under provincial law / central law/state law. To ensure UGC recognition, the university must pass an inspection conducted by a commission of experts established or appointed by it.

If the universities do not meet standards, the expert group will cancel or not grant the UGC recognition. The inspection process at the UGC is quite intense, as all the details regarding the functioning of the institution at various levels will be examined.

For public universities, University Grants Commission recognition is mandatory to qualify for financial scholarships. Therefore, these universities must comply with the standards prescribed by the UGC from time to time. The UGC will also grant considered university status to some of the institutions if they comply with the UGC rules and regulations.

Importance of UGC recognition for students

University Grants Commission recognition by a university will help students verify the validity of the decree issued by the university. After the inspection process, the UGC will post the detailed inspection report of a particular university on its official website.

Through this report, students can learn about the quality of education offered in universities. The University Grants Commission will publish a list of fake universities in India operating without UGC recognition. The list of fake universities will prevent students from taking courses at these universities.

UGC HISTORY

The UGC’s roots go back to the early 1940s when the British discussed measures to be taken to promote Indian education. This led to the creation of the Central Advisory Committee on Education in Post-War Educational Development in 1944.

Although the University Grants Commission in its current form as a statutory body originated in 1956 with the passage of the University Grants Commission Act, the organization’s roots go back to the early 1940s, when the British discussed measures to be taken to promote Indian education. This led to the establishment of the Central Advisory Committee for Education in Post-War Educational Development in 1944.

The establishment of the Advisory Committee itself was the product of various committees and relationships that have emerged over the decades since the mid-1990s Century to decide the nature of the education to be given to the Indian people.

Since the formation of the University Grants Commission in 1956, it has been responsible for determining and maintaining the higher education standards to be taught in the country, also recognizing the universities that allocate resources to them.

As the HRD ministry finalizes the proposal to restructure this former governing body of higher education in India, here is a quick look at the history of everything that led to the formation of the UGC.

Role of the UGC

The University Grants Commission Act of 1956 mandates the provision of funds to universities and higher education institutions, as well as the coordination, determination, and maintenance of ethical standards for these institutions. The UGC has established standards for future institutions seeking recognition and includes the University Scholarships Committee among its functions.

Additionally, the UGC maintains links between the Union, state governments, and various higher education institutions, examines the growth of undergraduate and graduate education, establishes policies for minimum educational standards, and promotes and coordinates recognized universities and institutions.

The UGC recommends procedures for positive change in universities and higher education institutions to central and state governments. It also encourages education and research through scholarships, grants, and awards, including the Postdoctoral Fellowship for Candidates, the post-doctoral scholarship for SC and ST candidates, the Emeritus Scholarship for Teachers, the Dr. S. Radha Krishnan Post-Ph.D. in Human and Social Sciences.

It also recommends the National Scholarship for Higher Education Candidates ST, the Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC Candidates, the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for single girls for social science research, the National grant for people with disabilities, the National scholarship for OBE candidates, the National Maulana Azad Scholarship for minority students, the Main Research Project, and the Postgraduate Scholarship in Professional Courses for candidates to SC and ST.

The UGC also offers awards to brilliant researchers and professors, including the Veda Vyas Sanskrit UGC National Awards, the UGC Hari Om Ashram Trust Award, and the UGC Swami Pranav Ananda Saraswati National Award.

FUNCTIONS of UGC:

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory body established by the Government of India in 1956. Its primary objective is to coordinate, determine, and maintain the standards of higher education in India. The UGC is responsible for recognizing universities and disbursing funds to higher education institutions. In this post, we will discuss the functions of UGC in detail and how they contribute to the growth of higher education in India.

1. Providing Grants: UGC’s primary function is to provide grants to universities and colleges for the development of their infrastructure and academic programs. The grants are given to both government and private institutions, based on the merit of the proposals submitted by the institutions. UGC also provides funds for research projects and scholarships for students.
2. Quality Assurance: UGC ensures the quality of education in universities is maintained at a high level. It sets standards for the curriculum, faculty qualifications, infrastructure, and academic activities of colleges and universities. It conducts periodic assessments of institutions to ensure that they meet these standards.
3. Accreditation: UGC is responsible for accrediting universities and colleges in India. The accreditation process involves evaluating an institution’s academic standards, infrastructure, faculty qualifications, research facilities, and other factors. Accreditation from the UGC is necessary for universities to receive government funding and to be recognized as legitimate institutions of higher education.
4. Promoting Research: UGC promotes research in higher education institutions. It provides grants for research projects and encourages universities to establish research centers and laboratories. UGC also supports collaboration between institutions and industries to promote applied research and development.
5. Developing Curriculum: UGC plays a crucial role in developing curriculum frameworks for various disciplines. It ensures that the curriculum is relevant to the needs of the industry and society and promotes interdisciplinary studies. UGC also encourages universities to offer courses in emerging areas of knowledge.
6. Distance Education: UGC regulates distance education programs offered by universities in India. It sets standards for the curriculum, faculty, and infrastructure of these programs and ensures that they meet the same standards as regular courses.
7. International Cooperation: UGC promotes international cooperation in higher education by encouraging collaborations between Indian and foreign universities. It provides scholarships to Indian students to study abroad and facilitates the exchange of faculty and students between institutions.