UGC Higher Education II

UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION (UGC)
Objective: The government established University Grants Commission (UGC) by an Act of Parliament in 1956. It discharges the Constitutional mandate of coordination" determination, and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in the 'field of University and Higher Education.
UGC serves 8S a vita l link between the Union and State Governments and the institutions of higher learning. It monitors developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disburses grants to the universities and colleges: advises Central and State Governments on the measures necessary for the improvement of university education; and frames regulations such as those on the minimum standards of instruction.

Composition
Commission comprises of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and ten other members appointed by the Central Government. 'The Chairperson is selected from among persons who are not officers of the Central Government or any State Government. Of the ten members, two are from amongst the officers of the Central Government to represent it. Not less than four. selected from among persons who are, at the time they are selected, shall be a teacher in the Universities. Others are selected from among eminent educationists, academics and experts in various fields.

Chairperson is appointed for a term of 5 years or until the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. Vice·Chairperson is appointed for a term of 3 years or until the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. The other members are appointed for a term of 3 years. The Chairperson. Vice· Chairperson and members can be appointed for a maximum of two terms.

Funding UGC has no funds of its own. It receives both Plan and Non Plan grants from the Central Government to carry out the responsibilities assigned to it by law. It allocates and disburses full maintenance and development grants to all Central Universities, Colleges affiliated to Delhi and Banaras Hindu Universities and some of the institutions accorded the status of 'Deemed to be Universities'. State Universities, Colleges and other institutions of higher education, receive support only from the Plan grant for development schemes. Besides, it provides financial assistance to Universities and colleges under various schemes programmes for promoting relevance, quality and excellence as also promoting the role of social change by the Universities.
Regional Offices
Name of Regional Office States
Southern Regional Office: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu.


Northern Regional Office: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana. Uttar Pradesh.


Central Regional Office: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.
Eastern Regional Office :.West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Sikkim.


North Eastern Regional Office: Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland.
Western Regional Office : Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra.


Inter University Centres (lUes)
Under Section 12 (ccc) of the UGC Act, the Commission has established the following Inter
- University Centers to provide common facilities, service and programmes to Universities since heavy investment in infrastructure and inputs have made it beyond the reach of individual Universities to obtain these facilities:·

Nuclear Science Centre. New Delhi: Accelerator oriented research for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune: State-of the art instrumentation for research in astronomy IUC for DAE facilities, Indore: Use of facilities of Department of Atomic Energy Information and Library Network


(INFLIBNET), Ahmedabad: Networking of libraries through electronic medias Consortium for Educational Communication (CEe), New Delhi : To disseminate Countrywide programme through television 216


National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NACC), Bangalore: To assess and accredit
public & Private institutions of higher learning National Facilities UGC has also set up the following Centres as
National facilities in selected Universities:
 Western  Regional Instrumentation Centre,

Bombay: Design and development of indigenous equipment and training to staff in instrumentation. Regional Instrumentation Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore: Design and development of indigenous equipment and training to staff in instrumentation.

Chennai : Research and dissemination of knowledge and organization of training programme in crystal growth.


M.S.T. Radar Centre SriVenkateswara Tirupati: Studies in atmospheric Dynamics to enable teachers to use MST Radar facility.
Eastern Centre for Radio Astrophysics,


Calcutta University: Research in Astrophysics Japal - Rangapur observatory, Osmania University. Hyderabad: Science Research Observatory Centre for Science Education &
Communication, New Delhi: Popularization of Science