The Central Government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) are constantly endeavouring to improve quality of higher education in the country. The Central Government has launched several initiatives viz. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Uchchtar Avishkar Yojna (UAY) and Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) in the field of education for the qualitative development of education in the country.

The UGC undertakes maintenance of standards in teaching, research and quality assurance in Universities, Deemed to be Universities and Colleges through framing and notifying regulations, schemes and disbursing grants to the eligible institutions. The UGC has notified several regulations with a view to sustain and improve the quality of higher education and to undertake academic reforms. The regulations are available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/page/UGC-Regulations.aspx . In order to encourage research and development in the country, UGC is implementing schemes, awards, fellowships, chairs and programmes under which financial assistance is provided to institutions of higher education as well as faculty members working therein to undertake quality research covering areas of knowledge across disciplines. Some of the initiatives taken by UGC for improving quality of Higher Education are:

(i)                 Choice-based Credit System (CBCS);

(ii)               Universities with Potential for Excellence;

(iii)             Centre with potential for excellence in particular area;

(iv)             Special Assistance Programme (SAP);

(v)               Basic Science Research;

(vi)             Major Research project;

(vii)           B.Voc. Degree Programme;

(viii)         DDU KAUSHAL KENDRAS;

(ix)             Scholarship Scheme (ISHAN UDAY) for North Eastern Region;

(x)               New Methodology of Grading by NAAC;

(xi)             UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil / Ph.D. Degrees) Regulations, 2016;

(xii)           UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulation, 2016.

The Universities are established either under Central Act, Provincial Act or State Act and are free to grant affiliation to colleges as per the provisions made under the respective Acts.

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.

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GG/RT/RK/QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION