Lok Sabha Question No. 134 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Criteria for Journals of Higher Education
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri R K Chaudhary

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 134

ANSWERED ON 01/12/2025

## Criteria for Journals of Higher Education

## 134. Shri R K Chaudhary:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the eligibility criteria fixed for selecting the journals for the higher level education adopted by UGC;
- (b) whether there is any software to tackle with the Artificial Intelligence (AI), if so, the details thereof alongwith the criteria and selection procedure of such software by the UGC;
- (c)  whether the Government has any plan to induce job oriented courses in the syllabus of the students of matriculation and senior secondary classes, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of the Government plan for improving early childhood care and education (ECCE), especially for socio-economically disadvantaged children in the country; and
- (e)  the  details  of  the  basis  for  launching  double  board  exams  policy  in  schools  across  the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

- (a) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has developed suggestive parameters for choosing peer-reviewed journals by faculty members, students and the Higher Education Institutions. The same was notified on 16th July, 2025 and is available at https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/6124898\_Public-Notice-CARE-Journals.pdf
- (b)  The  UGC  has  notified  the  UGC  (Promotion  of  Academic  Integrity  and  Prevention  of Plagiarism  in  Higher  Educational  Institutions)  Regulations,  2018,  under  which  all  HEIs  are required to check theses and dissertations through plagiarism-detection software approved by the institution, the same is available at https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/7771545\_academic-integrityRegulation2018.pdf.

Further, based on the recommendation of Sub-Committee, National Steering Committee (NSC) of e-ShodhSindhu, the Ministry of Education (MoE), Govt. of India, has initiated a programme "ShodhShuddhi" which provides access to Plagiarism Detection Software (PDS) to all Universities/Institutions in India.

Under  the  ShodhShuddhi  scheme  of  the  MoE,  the Information  and  Library  Network  Centre (INFLIBNET),  Gandhinagar,  had  provided  Plagiarism Detection  Software  (PDS)  to  1160  plus Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across India.

(c) The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L) provides financial support for implementing  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Samagra  Shiksha  since  2018-19.  Skill Education  is  one  of  the  components  under  Samagra  Shiksha  scheme.  The  scheme  aims  at integrating Skill Education with general academic education in all Secondary/Senior Secondary schools which is in alignment with the objective of NEP 2020; enhancing the Employability and Entrepreneurial abilities of the students, providing exposure to work environment; and generating awareness amongst students about various career options so as to enable them to make a choice in accordance with their aptitude, competence and aspirations. The scheme covers Government and Government aided schools. Additionally, the scheme has a provision for providing exposure to skill  education  to  students  of  Classes  VI  -  VIII  with  an  aim  to  provide  opportunities  to  the students to orient themselves with the skills required for the various occupations in a sector and to equip them to make informed choices while selecting their subjects in higher classes.

Under Skill Education component of 'Samagra Shiksha', NSQF aligned skill courses are offered to the students from Class IX to XII in the schools covered under the scheme, which has been aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). At the Secondary level i.e., Class IX and X, skill courses are offered to the students as an additional subject. At Sr. Secondary level, i.e., Class XI and XII, skill courses are offered as a compulsory (elective) subject. As of now, 138 Job Roles have been approved for introduction as Skill courses to school students for Class IX to XII.

36,465 schools have been approved under the skill education component of Samagra Shiksha, out of  which  the  skill  education  has  so  far  been  implemented  in  25,140  schools  with  the  reported enrolment of 35,56,330 students.

(d) As per para 1.1 of NEP 2020, universal provisioning of quality early childhood development, care, and education must be achieved as soon as possible, and no later than 2030, to ensure that all students entering Grade 1 are school ready.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is generally defined as the period from birth to 8 years of age. This stage is divided into three sub-stages i.e., 0-3 years, 3-6 years (Preschool stage) and 6 to 8 years (Grade I and II). The ages 3 to 8 years covers 5 years of education continuum named  as  Foundational  Stage  under  NEP  2020.  For  the  first  time,  3  years  of  preschools (Balvatika)  recognized  as  a  continuum  of  education  in  the  5+3+3+4  structure  where  the foundational stage is 3 years of preschool and grade 1 & grade 2.

The  NEP 2020 indicated  an  increased  focus  on  the  universalization  of  ECCE.  Under  Samagra Shiksha, a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Education, focus has been given on the pre-school education. To ensure equitable quality education and universal access for all, the scheme extends support from pre-school to class 12. The Scheme reaches out to girls and children belonging to Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs).

Several key Initiatives have also been taken by DoSE&L including the launch of the following:

- (i) A dedicated mission 'National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat Mission)' on Foundational Literacy and  Numeracy  for  ensuring  that  every  child  in  the  country  necessarily  attains foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 2.
- (ii) National  Curricular  Framework  for  Foundational  Stage  (NCF-FS)  providing  a structure  for  the  syllabus,  Training  of  Teachers,  Learning  Teaching  Material (LTM), etc.
- (iii) A 3-months play based 'School Preparation Module and Guidelines' for Grade 1 named 'Vidya Pravesh' to promote school preparedness in all children coming to Grade-1  from  diverse  backgrounds  (Balvatika,  Anganwadi  Centers  (AWCs),  at home,  private  play  schools  etc.),  to  ensure  a  smooth  transition  of  children  to Grade-1.
- (iv) Jaadui Pitara (JP), a  collection  of  Learning  Teaching  Material  (LTM) for 3  to  8 years age group.
- (v) E-Jaadui Pitara (e-JP), an app and website with integration of the latest technology with  play-based  pedagogy  and  a  way  to  disseminate  the  learning  of  JP  and transcend it beyond the four walls of the classroom.
- (vi) 'Guidelines  for  co-location  of  Anganwadi  Centers  with  schools'  for  better convergence & seamless admission to Grade 1' jointly with Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women & Child Development.

(e)  Para 4.37 of National Education Policy-2020 stipulates that 'To further eliminate the 'high stakes' aspect of Board Exams, all students will be allowed to take Board Exams on up to two occasions  during  any  given  school  year,  one  main  examination  and  one  for  improvement,  if desired ' . CBSE has decided to implement the policy of two Board Examinations in Class X from 2026 examinations in its affiliated schools in India and 26 countries abroad.

*****