UGC to examine the law governing itself

Amid a growing perception about UGC losing its relevance, the organisation has decided to have a comprehensive look into the law governing it and go for amendments.
The organisation, in charge of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education, has set up an expert committee under former Higher Education Secretary R P Agrawal to examine the existing provisions of UGC Act 1956.
Suggestions have been invited from stakeholders, including Vice Chancellors, faculty and non-faculty members of universities, colleges and other institutes, parents and members of general public before finalising its recommendations.
The development assumes significance as there has been a demand for overhaul of the statutory body to strengthen it so as to improve quality of higher education in the country.

None of the Indian universities figures in the top 200 in global ranking.
Back in 2004-05, there was a proposal to amend the UGC Act but it failed to materialise.

There is also a suggestion to revamp the body and renaming it as a 'Higher Education Commission' which, unlike the existing body, would have full-time members.
The setting up of the committee also comes in the backdrop of the government implementing the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) programme which would have a critical role in disbursement of funds to the higher education sector.
UGC could stand to lose substantially its rights over release of funds to higher educational institutes under RUSA.

Funding under RUSA would be directly provided by the Centre to states.
RUSA seeks to improve the overall quality of existing state higher educational institutions by ensuring conformity to prescribed norms and standards and adoption of accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework.