UGC

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Context

• Currently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) permits universities to offer a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in arts, humanities and social sciences, and the Bachelor of Science (more commonly abbreviated in India as BSc) degree is typically for science subjects.
• However, with the NEP 2020 advocating a restructuring of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, a committee set up by the UGC to review degree nomenclatures has recommended that the new four-year undergraduate honours (or honours with research) degree program, irrespective of the discipline, can also be offered as a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree.

University Grants Commission (UGC)

About

• University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory body set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India in accordance with the UGC Act 1956 and is charged with coordination, determination, and maintenance of standards of higher education in India.

Genesis and Formation

• The University Grants Committee was formed in 1945, which took upon the responsibility of supervision of three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras, and Delhi.
• Its responsibility was extended in 1947 to cover all Indian universities.
• In 1948, the University Education Commission was set up, whose chairman was Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The commission suggested that the existing University Grants Committee should be transformed into University Grants Commission India like the UK.
• On 28 December 1953, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (former Minister of Education) inaugurated University Grants Commission.
• And in November 1956, UGC (University Grants Commission) was formally established as a statutory body of the Government of India via the ‘University Grants Commission Act, 1956’ of the Parliament. The vision was to supervise the coordination, determination, and maintenance of standards of university education in our country

Headquarters

• The headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has six regional centers in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.

Mandate

• It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
• UGC also conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) for the appointments of teachers in colleges and universities.

Major UGC Activities and Functions of University Grants Commission

• • Promote and coordinate university education.
  • Frame rules on minimum standards of education.
  • Setting standards for examination like ICAR NET, UGC NET & CSIR UGC NET
  • Scrutinize growth in the field of college and university education.
  • Allow grants to the universities and colleges.
  • Maintain the connection between the Union and State Governments and institutions of higher education.
  • Suggest mandatory procedures to Central and State governments to make positive changes in University Education.

Future of University Grants Commission (UGC)

• In June 2018, the Human Resources Development Ministry proposed its plans to revoke the UGC Act 1956 and come up with a new body. i.e., The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements. a)    University Grants Commission (UGC) conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) for the appointments of teachers in colleges and universities. b)    It suggests mandatory procedures to Central and State governments to make positive changes in University Education. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 1. a only 2. b only 3. a and b only 4. None of the above. Correct Answer: 3. a and b only

https://indianexpress.com/article/education/new-degree-on-table-bachelor-of-science-for-humanities-commerce-8651353/