Lok Sabha Question No. 1910 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-28
Subject: Regulation and Assessment of Universities
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: B. SREERAMULU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1910 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.11.2016

## Regulation and Assessment of Universities

1910. SHRI B. SRIRAMULU:

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

- (a) the criteria to regulate establishment and functioning of Universities in the Country;
- (b) whether any mechanism has been put in place to assess the performance of the existing Universities;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the action taken/being taken by the Government against those Universities whose performance is not found satisfactory; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to check mushrooming of new Universities in the Country and to improve the quality of education being imparted in these Universities?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): Universities are established either by an Act of Parliament or by an Act of the State Legislatures  concerned.  The  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC),  being  an  autonomous university 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.

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.

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