Lok Sabha Question No. 239 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-12
Subject: Autonomy to Universities and Colleges
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, ANANDRAO  ADSUL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *239 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2018

## Autonomy to Universities and Colleges

†*239. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether several commissions and committees have recommended reforms but failed to  bring  about  any  substantive  change  in  the  basic  regulations  under  the  University Grants Commission(UGC) Act, 1956;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether any such committee has recommended  for providing  autonomy to universities and colleges and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  also  categorised  the  universities  and  colleges  for providing them autonomy and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## 19 th Position

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  †*239  FOR  12.03.2018  ASKED  BY SHRI  SHRIRANG APPA BARNE AND SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL, HON'BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING AUTONOMY TO UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.

(a) to (d): No, Madam. Substantive changes have been made in the basic regulations of the  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC).  With  a  view  to  provide  autonomy,  promote quality and create an enabling environment whereby Higher Educational Institutions can become institutions of global excellence, UGC has taken several initiatives in the form of Regulations i.e.  UGC  (Minimum  Standards  and  Procedure  for  Award  of  M.PHIL./PH.D Degrees)  Regulations,  2016,  UGC  (Promotion  and  Maintenance  of  Standards  of Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations,  2016,  National  Academic  Depository  (NAD),  UGC  (Open  and  Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017, UGC (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulations,  2017,  the  UGC  (Categorization  of  Universities  (only)  for  Grant  of  Graded Autonomy)  Regulations,  2018  and  the  UGC  (Conferment  of  Autonomous  Status  upon Colleges and  Measures  for Maintenance  of Standards in Autonomous  colleges) Regulations, 2018. These regulations are available on the UGC's website at www.ugc.ac.in .

UGC  recognises  that  autonomy  is  pivotal  to  promoting  and  institutionalising excellence  in  higher  education  and  that  the  regulatory  framework  needs  to  facilitate better performing institutions towards excellence in higher education. With this objective, UGC has  notified  the  UGC  (Categorisation  of  Universities  (only)  for  Grant  of  Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018. Under Graded Autonomy Regulations, Universities having NAAC scrore  of  3.51  or  above  or  have  received  a  corresponding  score/grade  from  a reputed accreditation agency empanelled by the UGC or have been ranked among top 500 of reputed world rankings are placed in Category-I. Universities having NAAC score of 3.26 and above, upto 3.50 or have received a corresponding accreditation grade/score from a reputed Accreditation Agency empanelled by the UGC are placed in Category-II. The  Universities  which  do  not  come  under  the  above  two  categories  are  placed  in Category-III.

Dimensions of autonomy include starting of new courses/programmes/departments, research parks, incubation centres, hiring of foreign faculty and admission of foreign students on merit etc.

Under  Autonomous  Colleges  Regulations,  Colleges  of  any  discipline  accredited with a score of 3.0 and above, up to 3.25 on a 4 point scale of NAAC/corresponding NBA score /  corresponding accreditation score from a UGC empanelled accreditation agency at the time of application shall be considered for grant of autonomous status with an onsite visit of the duly constituted Expert Committee. Colleges  which  have  a  NAAC  score  of  3.26  and  above,  up  to  3.50  or  a corresponding  NBA  score  or  a  corresponding  accreditation  Grade/score  from  a  UGC empanelled accreditation agency for one complete cycle and also accredited accordingly in  the  second cycle, shall be considered for grant of autonomous status without onsite visit by the Expert Committee. Colleges with 3.51 and above in a 4 point scale of NAAC or a minimum of three programmes have been accredited by NBA with a minimum score of 750 individually or a corresponding accreditation Grade/score from a UGC empanelled accreditation agency at  the  time  of  application  shall  be  considered  for  grant  of  autonomous  status  without onsite visit by the Expert Committee. Such autonomous colleges can issue mark sheets, migration and other certificates, evolve methods of assessment of students performance, conduct examinations and announce results on their own.

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