Autonomy to Educational Institutes The University Grants Commission (UGC) has implemented the scheme of Autonomous Colleges with a view to bring in quality reforms in higher education. The Scheme of Autonomous Colleges offers academic and operative freedom to the Colleges. The autonomy so awarded under the scheme enables a College to determine and prescribe its own courses of study and syllabi and restructure and redesign the courses to suit local needs and to devise innovative methods of teaching, examination and evaluation. The scheme of Autonomous Colleges is open for all Colleges. Any number of Colleges under a University can apply for award of autonomous status to UGC under this scheme. However, Colleges are granted autonomous status only when they fulfill conditions as prescribed in the guidelines of the scheme of Autonomous Colleges. This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
