In yet another move to clip the wings of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Centre has now constituted an overarching Higher Education Apex Coordination Committee to resolve conflicts among educational bodies and councils. This is the fourth such body/commission instituted by HRD Ministry to regulate higher education sector in recent times.
“The constitution of the committee had become necessary as regulatory provisions of different statutory bodies vary from each other resulting in lack of proper coordination amongst them. The new committee would meet once in three months and would be coordinated by existing UGC,” said a top MHRD official.
The HEACC will be chaired by the HRD Minister. UGC Chairman, AICTE Chairman, Secretary Higher Education, and Joint Secretary Higher Education will be members of the apex body on higher education. According to a latest notification issued by the MHRD, “The need of the hour therefore is to create a forum of all statutory bodies to come together to resolve such differences and remove any confusion that may exist on account of varying and sometimes conflicting regulatory provisions”.
The development comes at the backdrop of several differences cropping between UGC and AICTE, including the one being affiliation to MBA programmes where Supreme Court had to intervene.
The notification, however, said the functioning of the committee would in no way impinge upon the authority or functioning of the statutory regulatory bodies like UGC or professional councils like AICTE, National Board of Accreditation, Council of Architecture etc. “The committee would also work towards finding a common ground and take measures to promote inter-disciplinary learning and research especially in new and emerging fields of knowledge,” it said.
For a couple of months the HRD Ministry has been considering to set up a Higher Education Commission to put checks and to balance the functioning of the UGC. The role of HEC would pertain to monitor the grants in aid to universities and colleges and whether it is disbursed with a pragmatic approach.