UGC to let central, top state varsities have more autonomy

The University Grants Commission (UGC) approved on Tuesday a set of regulations aimed at decentralising power, which will allow central universities such as Delhi University to launch new departments, programmes, schools and centres without the regulator’s approval.

Central universities such as Delhi University will be able to launch new departments, programmes, schools and centres without the regulator’s approval.(Representative image)

The UGC, the country’s higher education regulator, will extend the privilege to top-performing state universities as well.

The UGC (Categorization of Universities for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations 2018 was approved at a meeting of the commission on Tuesday.

Top-ranking institutions will now be relatively free of the UGC’s regulatory control. The proposal will now be sent to the human resource development (HRD) ministry for its consent before a notification is sent out.

The regulations divide all UGC-recognised public, private and deemed universities into three categories, each of which will get different degrees of autonomy.

Universities accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which assesses and accredits higher education Institutions, with a score of at least 3.5 or above will be parked in Category I.

Officials said these universities will be free to start a new course, department and school, fix their fee structure for self-financing programmes, and collaborate with foreign educational institutions without seeking the UGC’s permission. Also, such universities will be exempt from the UGC’s regular inspections. These will be appraised on the basis of self-reporting.

The commission will also allow these institutions to hire international talent, ranging up to 20% of its total faculty strength and fill up to 20% of its seats with students from other countries.

To be eligible for Category II, universities should have the NAAC accreditation with a score between 3.25 and 3.5. The first two categories will be accorded greater autonomy by the UGC.

Institutions in Category III will be the most regulated and will not enjoy any of the exemptions.

“Central universities and state universities in Category I will be able to open research parks, incubation centres and university society linkage centres in self-financing mode either on its own, or in partnership with private partners, without the UGC’s approval,” the proposed rules state.

According to a senior UGC official, central universities often face unnecessary hurdles while launching new courses and departments. “The idea is to free at least the top 100 universities from the inspection regime, giving them greater freedom. If a university wants to start courses they can go ahead without our permission. However, they will have to do it with their own resources. The funding they currently receive will remain,” the official said.

The UGC will put out dates, at least twice a year, for universities to place a request seeking the category they want to be.