In an effort to further prune the powers of university watchdog UGC, the Centre is now planning a mega clampdown on “under-performing” educational institutions across the country. This will be part of the HRD Ministry’s categorisation of institutes into “outstanding” institutions, institutions with “scope for improvement” and “under-performing” institutions. As of now this comes under the domain of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The Centre has already decided to divest the higher education watchdog of its financial powers and delegate them to the HRD Ministry. This followed reports of “arbitrariness” on part of the commission for fund disbursement. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his last month Budget had announced restructuring of the UGC and several other education reforms.
“It is being considered that an audit be conducted of all the educational institutions and universities, and they be classified into three broad categories depending upon their performance on a range of parameters,” said a HRD Ministry official.
The official said that non-performing may be asked to close down or merge with others institutes. The HRD Ministry has chalked out a roadmap for the restructuring. “It is being considered that an audit be conducted of all the educational institutions and varsities, and they be classified into three broad categories depending upon their performance on a range of parameters,” they said.
Fearing curtailment of powers following a series of decisions taken by Prakash Javedkar led HRD Ministry, the UGC recently announced a mentoring programme for institutions in an aim to rehaul both- its own functioning and an improvement on higher educational system viz both academics and administration.
While those in the first category will be rewarded with more autonomy and grants, the officials will zero in on loopholes in the second category suggesting corrective measures.
“The varsities and institutions identified in the third category will be directed to the UGC to mentor them. However, if they fail to do so, the HRD Ministry is likely to consider their closure or merger with other institutions,” said the official.
Sources said the Centre’s move comes in the wake of the UGC’s mishandling of issues related to Deemed Universities and its failure to revamp the higher education curriculum for years.
This also comes as part of the mega reforms in the higher education sector for which Javadekar had last month announced greater reforms in UGC where the thrust will be to give more autonomy to good institutes and “monitor mid-level and monitor more those in the lower rungs.” He had said the Centre will bring out a graded regulatory mechanism under the ambit of UGC.
Under the new format, all the universities will be graded for their courses, departments, curriculum, faculty, administration and overall performance annually. The grading system will be similar to the existing exercise being conducted by some of the private university ranking agencies. Currently, there is no rating agency of Indian university from the Government side and all are based on the public perception.