HRD ministry to bring in graded regulatory mechanism for greater transparency and freedom: Javadekar

The HRD ministry plans to bring in a graded regulatory mechanism as part of key reforms in the University Grants Commission (UGC) aimed at greater transparency, freedom and autonomy, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Sunday.

The Education Minister also announced that 'SWAYAM', an open web based platform from which 2000 courses will be run for students across the country, will be launched next month .

Javadekar also spoke about the newly-tabled Union Budget 2017 which he said reflects government's vision of raising quality in the education sector, which has got additional funds this time to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore.

Another initiative is an innovation fund of Rs 100 crore for schools which will be introduced in educationally backward districts, he said.

A separate exam agency has also been announced which will conduct major exams, many of which are being conducted by an "overburdened" CBSE, he added. CBSE's main focus is to look after school education.

Expounding upon the new UGC reforms, Javadekar said that thrust is to give more autonomy to good institutes and “monitor mid-level and monitor more those in the lower rungs”. “Everybody would be incentivised to go upwards,” Javadekar told reporters here.

Referring to the IIM Bill, which is expected to come up in the current Parliament session, Javadekar said it indicates the shape of things to come.

He referred to SWAYAM which is a MOOCs platform and said that it would become what ATM is for money.

“It will be any time learning and anywhere learning,” he said while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the budget provisions.

With PTI Inputs