The UGC has provided grants under its College Development Scheme, during 2013-14, to 4071 colleges declared eligible, under Section 12B of the UGC, Act, 1956, to receive grants. The UGC has reported that it does not provide development grants to any self financing, purely private funded colleges. The UGC provided grants to self-financing colleges only under its student and teacher centric schemes; these colleges are not eligible to receive development grants from the UGC.

As per the University Grants Commission (UGC) (Mandatory Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, notified on 19th January, 2013 it is mandatory for each College to get accredited by an Accreditation Agency after passing out of two batches or six years, whichever is earlier, in accordance with the norms and methodology prescribed by such agency or the Commission, as the case may be. Further as per these Regulations, every College, which has completed six years of existence or two batches having passed out, whichever is earlier, has to apply within six months from the date of coming into force of these Regulations, to the Accreditation Agency, for accreditation. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has notified similar regulations on 29th January, 2014.

Apart from making assessment and accreditation mandatory for higher educational institutions, the UGC has already laid down minimum standards of instruction for the grant of first degree, Master’s degree and M.Phil/Ph.D degree. It has also laid down minimum qualifications for the appointment of teachers and academic staff in Universities and Colleges. The UGC (Minimum qualifications for appointment of teaching staff in universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards) Regulations, 2010 specify these minimum qualifications.

The UGC under its various schemes releases grants to colleges to improve access and quality of higher education. The UGC has reported that it implements various schemes for improving the quality of higher education, such as Colleges with Potential for Excellence (CPE), Autonomous College Scheme, etc.

The Central Government, recognizing the need for providing horizontal and vertical mobility to students from the vocational to the general higher education stream has launched “Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth” (SAMVAY). This credit framework along with the Credit Framework for Skill Development (CFSD) issued by the UGC provides opportunities to pursue Diploma to degree and post-Degree programmes in vocational education, under the schemes of Community Colleges” and “B.Voc degree programme”, in Universities and Colleges. A scheme of “Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya KAUSHAL Kendra” has also been approved by the Commission.

This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Irani in a written reply to the Lok Sabha question.

Source: PIB