Various steps taken to achieve Academic Excellence

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that UGC provides financial assistance under the Scheme “General Development Assistance” to eligible Central Universities, Deemed Universities, State Universities and colleges in each Plan. The main objective of the Plan Grant, in addition to others, is to set up new and strengthen existing infrastructural facilities in the institutions. The financial assistance to institutions is provided in accordance with the extant guidelines, taking into consideration the requirements of university/college and the overall budget.

Some of the major steps taken by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)/ the UGC recently are listed below:-

1. The Government has approved a scheme for providing a Regulatory Architecture for setting up/ upgrading of 20 Institutions (10 from public sector & 10 from private sector) as world class teaching and research institutions known as ‘Institutions of Eminence”. The Regulatory Architecture has been provided in the form of UGC(Declaration of Government Institutions as Institutions of Eminence) Guidelines, 2017 for public Institutions and UGC (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2017 for private Institutions, so as to enable such institutions to evolve into Institutions of world class in a reasonable time period.
2. UGC (Conferment of Autonomous Status upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges) Regulations, 2018 have been notified on 12.02.2018. These regulations ensure that quality HEIs become autonomous. The autonomy is expected to enhance quality of education on one side and to promote innovation in teaching and research on the other side.
3. UGC has notified University Grants Commission (Categorization of Universities (Only) For Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018 on 12.02.2018 to provide autonomy based on quality benchmark to the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). The universities have been categorized into three categories based on National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grades and  benchmarks as provided in the regulations. Such universities will be provided academic, administrative and financial autonomy which will improve academic quality and promote excellence.
4. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is being implemented by the Ministry of HRD with the aim of promoting access, equity and quality. The focus of the scheme is on serving the unserved and underserved areas. Under the scheme, central assistance is provided, inter alia, for components such as Infrastructure grants to colleges and universities, upgradation of existing colleges to model degree colleges, etc. Under these components, funds are provided to institutions for support for strengthening of infrastructure facilities for construction/renovation of libraries, laboratories, hostels etc and for purchase of equipment in state Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).   

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