UGC Higher Education I

HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA
India has one of the largest 'Higher Education System' in the world. Main players in the higher education system in the country are: University Grants Commission (UGC) is responsible for coordination, determination and maintenance of standards, release of grants.
Professional Councils are responsible for recognition of courses, promotion of professional institutions and providing grants to undergraduate programmes and various awards.
The statutory professional councils are:
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Distance Education Council (DEC),
Indian Council for Agriculture Research (lCAR), Bar Council of India (BCI), National
Council for
Teacher Education (NCTE) Rehabilitation Council of India (ReI), Medical
Council of India (MCr), Pharmacy Council of India (Pcn,),
Dentist Council of India (DCl), Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH), Central Council of
Indian Medicine (CCIM) Central Government is responsible for major policy relating to higher education in the country. It provides grants to the ugc and establishes central universities in the country.
The Central Government is also responsible for declaration of Educational Institutions as 'Deemed to be University' on the recommendation of the UGC. Presently there are sixteen (16) Central Universities in the country. In pursuance of the Mizoram Accord, another Central University in the State of Mizoram is planned. There are 37 Institutions which have been declared as Deemed to be Universities by the Govt. of india as per Section of the UGC Act,1956.
State Governments are responsible for establishment of State Universities and colleges, and provide plan grants for their development and non-plan grants for their maintenance. The co-ordination and cooperation between the Union and the States is brought about in the field of education through the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE). Special Constitutional responsibility of the Central Government: Education is on the 'Concurrent list' subject to Entry 66 in the Union List of the Constitution. This gives excusive Legislative Power to the Central
Govt. for co-ordination and determination of standards in Institutions of higher education or
research and scientific and technical institutions.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK DEGREE STRUCTURE
There are three principle levels of qualifications within the higher education system in the
country. These are:
Bachelor' Undergraduate level
Master's f Post-graduate level
Doctoral f Pre-doctoral level
Diploma courses are also available at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. At the
undergraduate level, it varies between one to three years in length; postgraduate diplomas
are normally awarded after one year's study. Bachelor's degree in arts, commerce and sciences is three years of education (after 12 years of school education). In some places there are honours and special courses available. These are not necessarily longer in duration but indicate greater depth of study. Bachelor degree in professional field of study in agriculture, dentistry, engineering, pharmacy, technology and veterinary medicine generally take four years, while architecture and medicine. It takes five and five and a half years respectively. There are other bachelor degrees in education, journalism and librarian-ship that are second degrees. Bachelor's degree in law can either be taken as an integrated degree lasting five years or three-year course as a second degree. Master's degree is normally of two-year duration. It could be coursework based without thesis or research a lone. Admission to postgraduate  programmes in engineering and technology is done on the basis of Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering or Combined
Medical Test respectively. A pre-doctoral programme - Master of Philosophy (M.Phil ) is taken after completion of the Master's Degree. This can either be completely research based or can include course work as well Ph.D. is awarded two year after the M.Phil. or three years after the
Master's degree. Students are expected to write a substantial thesis based on original research,
generally takes longer.

NEW INITIATIVES, VOCATIONALIZATION ATTHE FlRST DEGREE LEVEL
In conformity with the National Policy on Education, 1986, a scheme to provide career orientation to education at the first degree level was launched in 1994-95. Under the scheme a
university I college could introduce one to three vocational courses in 35 identified subjects.


Autonomous Colleges: 138 colleges have been functioning as autonomous colleges in eight states in the country.


National Eligibility Test (NET) is being conducted by the UGC since 1989 for eligibility for lectureship. Around 50000 students appear for the test every year. Pass percentage is around 5%.
System of Governance of Higher Education Institutions: The Universities are of various kinds: with a single faculty, or multi-faculties; teaching or affiliating, or teaching cum affiliating, single campus or multiple campus. Most of the Universities are affiliating universities. which prescribe to the affiliated colleges the course of study, hold examinations and award degrees, while undergraduate and to some extent post, the colleges affiliated to them impart graduate instruction. Many of the university along with their affiliated colleges have grown rapidly to the extent of becoming unmanageable. Therefore, as per National Policy on Education, 1986, a scheme of autonomous colleges was promoted. In the autonomous colleges, whereas the degree
continues to be awarded by the University, the name of the college is also included. The colleges develop and propose new courses of study to the University for Approval. They are also fully responsible for con duct of examination. There are at present 126 autonomous colleges in the country.
Focus of Ninth Plan: Thrust areas are: measures for quality improvement and modernization of syllabi. Renewal of infrastructure, extra-budgetary resource mobilization and greater attention to issues in governance. Issues of access and relevance would receive attention. Conferment of grater autonomy to deserving colleges and professional up gradation of teachers through Academic Staff Colleges would be given priority. Emphasis is being placed on consolidation and optimal utilization of the existing infrastructure through institutional networking. Restructuring expansion so as to only meet the demand of the unserved areas with a focus on women and under privileged sections. The Open University system, which has been growing in popularity and size. Is striving to diversify courses and offerings and gain wider acceptability by upgrading its quality. It would focus more sharply on the educational needs of women and rural society, as well as professional training of in-service employees.

CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES
* President of India is the Visitor fall Central Universities.
* President Visitor nominates some members to the Executive Committee/Board of Management Course Selection Committees of the University as per the provisions made in the relevant University Act.
 * Ministry provides secretariat service for appointment of Vice-Chancellor of Executive Committee Nominees Court Nominees Selection Committee Nominees etc. by the President.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)

Established in 1985 for introduction and promotion of Open University and distance education system. Major objectives include widening of access to higher education. IGNOU programmes telecast on Doordarshan Network six days a week. Its jurisdiction is through out the oountry.lt can set up Study Centres outside the country This was allowed vide amendment of the IGNOU Act in 1997. Distance Education Council (DEC) under IGNOU has the responsibility for coordination and maintenance of standards in open and distance education system in the country.

University Of Hyderabad,

Established in1974 for post-graduate teaching and research, 20 Km from the City of Hyderabad on the OldHyderabad - Bombay road. It has a City campus· 'The Golden Threshold' - the residence of the late Sarojini Naidu. The University has Eight Schools of Studies and a Centre for Distance Education offering post graduate diploma in five disciplines. University or Delhi, Established inFebruary 1922 as a unitary and residential university. It has 14 faculties, 82 teaching departments and 78 colleges spread over national Capital Territory of Delhi.

A new State University - Indraprashtha
Vishwavidhlaya bas come up in Delhi as an affiliating University. Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Visbwavidyalaya, Wardha Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya Act (at Wardha) was passed by the Parliament in December, 1996. University came into existence with effect from 29th December 1997. It has international character. Four schools proposed under this University. For the time being the University is operating from its temporary office at Delhi.

Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow

Established 8S a State University in 1994 at Lucknow, it was notified as a Central University on 10th January 1996. It aims to provide instructional and research facilities in new and frontier areas of learning. Has three schools and three centres. (School of Ambedkar Studies, School for Information Science and Technology and School for, Environmental studies and Centre for Rural Technology, Centre for Vocational Studies and Centre for Human Rights.)

Pondicherry University
Established in 1985 8S a teaching-cum affiliating university. It has jurisdiction over the Union Territory of Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It also has a Community College. Affiliated institutions of which 13 are located in Pondicherry, 3 in Karaikal, 2 in Mahe. 1 in Yanam and 3 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.


Visva Bharati, Santiniketan
It is an unitary teaching and residential University. Founded by Guru Rabindranath Tagore. Incorporated as a Central University by t.he Visva Bharati Act, 1951 . Its jurisdiction
is restricted to the area known as Santiniketan in the District of Birbhum, West Bengal. It imparts education from the Primary School level to Post-Graduate and Doctorate levels. It has 12 institutes - 8 at Santiniketan, 3 at Sriniketan and 1 at Kolkata. Rural Segment of the University
(Sriniketan) created CAREER (Centre for Advanced Rural Education, Extenuation and
Research) and CSV (Centre for Science in Villages). For creating facilities in the housing
technology Nirman Bhawan (Building Centre) was established under the sponsorship of HUDCO. Millia lslamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi Functioned 8S a Deemed University since 1962. Acquired status of a Central University in December, 1988 by an Act. Of Parliament
Imparts education from Nursery stage to post: graduate & Doctorate levels. It has six Faculties and Eight Centres and Five Schools. AJ, Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre (AJKMCRC) provide training at Post  graduate level in Mass Communication, producing educational material on different educational aspects/subjects for the UGC, INSAT Programme.

Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Established in 1920 8S a fully residential Central University. It maintains four Hospitals, six Colleges (including Medical, Dental and Engineering Colleges), two Polytechnics and eight Schools. Offers six diploma courses exclusively for women. 18562 students (including school strength) were in rolls.

Banaras Hindu University,

Varanasi Came into existence in 1916 as a teaching and residential University. It consists of three Institutions· Institute of Medical Sciences, Institute of Technology and Institute of Agricultural Sciences. It has faculties with 121 academic departments and 4 inter disciplinary schools. It maintains a constituent Mahila Mahavidyalaya and three School level institutions. lOOO Bedded Modern Ayurvedic Medicine Hospital.

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

It came into existence in 1969. It is primarily concerned with Post graduate Education and
Research. It has 7 schools consisting of 24 Centres of Studies and a separate Centre for Bio Technology.

Maulana Azad National Urdu University
The University Act was passed by the Parliament in 1997 and it came into existence on 9th January, 1998. Its Administrative Office has been set up at Hyderabad. It has Regional Officers at Delhi, Patna and Bangalore. lt's aim is to promote and develop Urdu language and to impart vocational and technical education in Urdu medium through conventional and distance education system.

ASSAM UNIVERSITY, Dorgakona, Assam

Established as a teaching cum affiliating University on 21.1.1994. Though the act was passed in 1989. It has Jurisdiction over the districts of Cachar, Karimganj, Karhi, anglongand Hailakandi in the State of Assam. Nagaland University, Kohima Established as a teaching-cum  affiliating University on 6.9.1994. Though the act was passed in 1989. Its Headquarters is at Lumami, Nagaland. It. has jurisdiction over the whole of the State of Nagaland. It has 39 colleges affiliated. It has campuses in Kohima, Lumami and Medsiphema (School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development SASRD), 25 Departments and 4 Schools of Studies.

Tezpur University, Nappam, Assam
A non affiliating unitary Central University set up in 1994 under an Act of Parliament, Tezpur University Act, 1993. It's aims is to offer employment-oriented and inter disciplinary courses, mostly at post-graduate level. It has 11 Departments under 4 schools of studies and 6 centres of Studies.


North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong
Established in 1973 at Shillong by an Act of Parliament. North Eastern Hill University Act, 1973. It has a Campus at Aizwal and a centre in Tura. Its jurisdiction is over the States of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Its Headquarters at Shillong. Post graduate Departments and four Centres of Studies under its six schools of studies and an under-graduate college. It has 58 Under graduate Colleges and 8 professional course colleges and North-Eastern
Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERJST) affiliated.