Lok Sabha Question No. 360 (STARRED), answered on 2022-03-28
Subject: Education Programmes Offered by Autonomous Colleges
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Vijayakumar (alias) Vijay Vasanth, Ravneet Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *360 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2022

## Education Programmes Offered by Autonomous Colleges

## *360. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH: SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)    the  number  of autonomous colleges functioning in the country, State-wise along with the special features enjoyed by them over affiliated colleges;
- (b)  whether the University Grants Commission (UGC) has suggested modifications in rules to allow  autonomous  colleges  to  offer  online  and  distance  education  programmes  from academic session 2022-23 without prior approval from UGC and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether the Government has consulted all the stakeholders and the general public before implementation of these modified rules and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  these  modified  rules  also  allow  employment  of  education  technology  firms  to develop content and evaluation system and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)   the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure the quality of online and distance education being provided by these autonomous colleges in the country and the monintoring system in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

Part (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *360 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2022 ASKED BY SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS)  VIJAY  VASANTH,  SHRI  RAVNEET  SINGH  BITTU,HON'BLE  MEMBER(S)  OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING 'EDUCATION PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY AUTONOMOUS COLLEGES'.

(a) UGC  has notified its Regulations: University Grants Commission (Conferment of Autonomous Status Upon Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Autonomous Colleges)  Regulations,  2018,  for  granting  autonomous  status  to  colleges.  The  autonomous colleges  have  administrative  and  academic  autonomy  for  promoting  broad  based  quality education and excellence. The details of regulatory provisions can be accessed at https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/2838506\_182734.pdf.

## State-wise List of UGC approved autonomous colleges is enclosed at Annexure-I .

(b)  to  (d)  Based  on  the  recommendations  of  the  Expert  Committee,  UGC  has  proposed modifications in ODL and Online Programme Regulations. As per the proposed modifications, autonomous colleges having a minimum NAAC score of 3.26 on a 4-point scale or having a rank in  the  top-100  NIRF,  at  least  twice  in  three  preceding  cycles,  may  be  permitted  to  offer programmes in online mode without the prior approval of the Commission. The HEIs may avail the  services  of  educational  technology  firms  for  the  purpose  of  technology  maintenance, learning platform, advertisement and marketing etc. However, entire responsibility of offering the online programme with or without support of educational technology firms will be with HEIs. Any advertisement or marketing activity in respect of such programmes shall be solely and expressly in the name of the Higher Educational Institution.

The proposed modification was uploaded on UGC website at https://deb.ugc.ac.in/ for seeking comments/suggestions from stakeholders.

(e) UGC has notified UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020 and an amendment on 4 th  September, 2020 & 1 st  July, 2021 respectively in the Gazette. The same is available on UGC website at https://deb.ugc.ac.in/.

The  above  regulations  have  specific  provisions  to  ensure  the  quality  of  online  and  distance education and its monitoring system. The same provisions shall be applicable to autonomous colleges  after  notification  of  UGC  (ODL  Programmes  and  Online  Programmes)  (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2022.

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ANNEXURE-I  REFERRED  TO  PART  (A)  OF  THE  REPLY  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. *360 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2022 ASKED BY SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR (ALIAS) VIJAY VASANTH AND SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU, HON'BLE MEMBER(S) OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING 'EDUCATION PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY AUTONOMOUS COLLEGES'.

## UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION

## STATUS LIST OF APPROVED 871 AUTONOMOUS COLLEGES AS ON DATE 08.03.2022

| S.No.   | NAME OF STATE    |   Sub-Total |
|---------|------------------|-------------|
| 1.      | ANDHRAPRADESH    |         121 |
| 2.      | ASSAM            |          04 |
| 3.      | BIHAR            |          02 |
| 4.      | CHHATTISGARH     |          13 |
| 5.      | GOA              |          01 |
| 6.      | GUJARAT          |          05 |
| 7.      | HARYANA          |          01 |
| 8.      | HIMACHAL PRADESH |          05 |
| 9.      | JAMMU & KASHMIR  |          04 |
| 10.     | JHARKHAND        |          05 |
| 11.     | KARNATAKA        |          85 |
| 12.     | KERALA           |          22 |
| 13.     | MADHYAPRADESH    |          43 |
| 14.     | MAHARASTRA       |         137 |
| 15.     | MANIPUR          |          02 |
| 16.     | NAGALAND         |          03 |
| 17.     | ODISHA           |          49 |
| 18.     | PONDICHERY       |          04 |
| 19.     | PUNJAB           |          10 |
| 20.     | RAJASTHAN        |          07 |
| 21.     | TAMIL NADU       |         228 |
| 22.     | TELANGANA        |          85 |
| 23.     | UTTAR PRADESH    |          13 |
| 24.     | UTTRAKHAND       |          04 |
| 25.     | WEST BENGAL      |          18 |
|         | TOTAL            |         871 |