Lok Sabha Question No. 186 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-17
Subject: Quality of Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: OM BIRLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 186 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.07.2017

## Quality of Education

186. SHRI OM BIRLA:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  fact  that  the  quality  of  our  education system is not up to the mark when compared to international standards; (b) if so, whether the Government has taken note of the fact that no Indian institution features in the top two hundred list of international ranking; and (c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the quality of education in the country and also world ranking of Indian institutions?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a)  &  (b)  :  The  Union  Government  has  been  taking  a  series  of  measures  to  improve  the quality  of  higher  education  of  the  nation.  Several  premier  higher  educational  institutions  in the country like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs),  Indian  Institutes  of  Science  Education  and  Research (IISERs),  Indian  Institutes  of Information  Technology (IIITs)  and  a  few  Central  Universities  have  featured  among  the world's best ranked higher educational institutions. Global academic rankings of the World Universities are carried out by multiple agencies. In one  of  such  kinds  of  ranking  exercises,  the  Times  Higher  Education  World  University Rankings 2016-17 has listed 31 Indian Universities among the world's best Universities. Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD)  have been included in the top 200 in QS World University Rankings 2017.  IISc is placed in the 152 nd position while IIT Delhi has secured 185 th Rank. (c): In order to improve quality, the Central Government has launched several initiatives viz. & Technology (IMPRINT), Uchchtar Avishkar Yojna (UAY) and Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) in the field of education for the qualitative development of education in the

- National Institutional Ranking Framework  (NIRF), Impacting  Research Innovation country.  Under  the  NIRF,  Educational  Institutions  are  ranked  by  an  independent  ranking

agency on the basis of objective criteria. Under the IMPRINT, the Government has taken the initiative to address major engineering challenges through the collaborative efforts of the IITs and Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The objectives of UAY scheme are to promote innovation  in  IITs,  addressing  issues  of  manufacturing  industries;  to  spur  innovative mindset;  to  co-ordinate  action  between  academia  &  industry  and  to  strengthen  labs  & research facilities. GIAN  scheme  facilitates partnership between  Higher  Educational Institutions  of  the  country  and  other  countries  in  order  to  tap  international  talent  pool  of scientists and entrepreneurs.

The UGC undertakes maintenance of standards in teaching, research and quality  assurance  in  Universities,  Deemed  to  be  Universities  and  Colleges  through  framing various regulations, formulating several  schemes  and  disbursing  grants  to the eligible institutions. It has notified several regulations with the objective of sustenance and improvement  in  the  quality  of  higher  education  and  for  undertaking  academic  reforms.  The regulations  are  available  at  http://www.ugc.ac.in/page/UGC-Regulations.aspx  .  In  order  to encourage  research  and  development  in  the  country,  UGC  has  laid  out  schemes,  awards, fellowships, chairs and programmes under which financial assistance is provided to institutions of higher education as well as faculty members working therein to undertake quality research covering  areas  of  knowledge  across  disciplines  including  revival  &  promotion  of  indigenous languages. Some of the initiatives taken by UGC for improving quality of Higher Education are as under:

- (i) Choice-based Credit System (CBCS);
- (ii) Universities with Potential for Excellence;
- (iii) Centre with potential for excellence in particular area;
- (iv) Special Assistance Programme (SAP);
- (v) Basic Science Research;
- (vi) Major Research project;
- (vii) Community College;
- (viii) B.Voc. Degree Programme;
- (ix) DDU KAUSHAL KENDRAS;
- (x) Scholarship Scheme (ISHAN UDAY) for North Eastern Region;
- (xi) New Methodology of Grading by NAAC;
- (xii) UGC (Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses through SWAYAM) Regulation, 2016.

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