Lok Sabha Question No. 2782 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-20
Subject: Criteria for Universities
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2782 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2017

## Criteria for Universities

2782. SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL: Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  has  amended  any  criteria  to  set  up  and  regulate  the Universities in the country. (b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year; and

- (c) the steps taken by the Government to improve the performance of Universities?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): Universities are established either by an Act of Parliament or by an Act of the State  Legislatures  concerned.  The  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC),  being  a regulator, takes steps for the promotion and coordination of university education and for the determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in  universities.  UGC  regulates  the  functioning  of  the  Universities  with  the  help  of  its Expert Committees in the following manner:

-  inspections are conducted to verify the infrastructure and other facilities available with the State Universities to include them in the list of Universities under Section 12 B of the UGC Act, 1956.
-  the status of Institutions Deemed to be Universities are reviewed and assessed as per the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2016.
-  inspections of Private Universities are carried out in consonance with the provision of the UGC  (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003 to assess whether they are fulfilling the minimum criteria in terms of programmes, faculty, infrastructural facilities, financial viability,

etc.,  as  laid  down  from  time  to  time  by  the  UGC  and  other  concerned  statutory bodies/councils.

The reports of the UGC Expert Committees on the functioning of the universities are forwarded to the university concerned to rectify the deficiencies, if any, and to implement, suggestions of such Committees. Universities are also requested to submit compliance report to UGC alongwith supporting documents.

Further, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), through a team of  experts  (peer  team),  assesses  the  performance  and  accredits  Higher  Educational Institutions  (HEIs)  including  Universities by  following  a  seven  criterion  framework.  The universities  are  accredited  with  a  grade  keeping  in  view  their  performance  scores calculated on Curricular Aspects; Teaching-Learning and Evaluation; Research, Consultancy  and  Extension;  Infrastructure  and  Learning  Resources;  Student  Support and Progression; Governance,  Leadership and Management;  Innovations and Best Practices.

Further, to encourage quality assurance in higher education, the UGC has directed all Universities  to  establish  Internal  Quality  Assurance  Cells  (IQACs)  for  which  one-time financial  assistance  is  provided  by  it  under  the  XII  Plan.  The  NAAC  also  provides financial assistance to IQACs of HEIs including Universities to conduct seminars/conferences on the themes related to quality assurance.

****