HRD extends deadline for receiving feedback on scrapping UGC till July 20

The Human Resource Development Ministry on Thursday extended the deadline for receiving feedback and suggestions from stakeholders on scrapping of the UGC till July 20.

The decision to extend the deadline was taken following representations from various quarters.

Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar announced about the deadline extension at a press conference on Thursday.

The HRD Ministry had recently announced its decision to replace the UGC with the Higher Education Commission for India (HECI) by repealing the UGC Act, 1951.

According to the draft, which had been placed in public domain by the ministry to seek feedback from the stakeholders, the new commission will solely focus on academic matters and monetary grants would be under the purview of the ministry.

Less government and more governance, separation of grant-related functions, end of inspection raj, powers to enforce compliance with the academic quality standards and to order closure of sub-standard and bogus institutions are some of the highlights of the new Higher Education Commission of India Act, 2018 (Repeal of the University Grants Commission Act).

The HRD minister also lauded the Union Cabinet’s decision to increase allocation for education to Rs 1,10,000 crore in 2018-19 without any increase in fees and fast-tracking of infrastructure development under Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA).

“The landmark decision will give big boost to higher education this year by adding Rs 22,000 crore funding from HEFA, which has also been tasked to mobilise Rs 1 lakh crore for Revitalizing Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) by 2022,” Javadekar said.  

(With inputs from agencies)