Govt to scrap all other regulatory bodies like UGC and AICTE; the plan is likely to go through the consultative process and approvals given in June.
New Delhi: The human resource development ministry is planning to introduce a bill in Parliament by September 2018 to set up a single higher education regulator, replacing all other regulatory bodies such as UGC and AICTE, before the 2019 elections.
The Higher Education Empowerment Regulation Agency (HEERA) or Higher Education Regulatory Council (HERC), as it is being referred to, is a part of the 40-point action plan that the ministry has drawn up after rounds of meetings last week.
Part of the Modi government’s drive to bring in a liberalised regulatory regime, the single regulator plan is expected to go through the consultative process and approvals given in June 2018.
According to internal timelines laid out by the HRD ministry, the bill will be moved in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in September and December, respectively and brought into effect by March, 2019, ThePrint has learnt.
A single higher education regulator that replaces all existing regulatory bodies like the UGC the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has been recommended by a number of committees that have examined the state of higher education sector.
The 40-point action plan, which details the top five tasks from various divisions of the higher education department, aims to bring in a major quality upgrade over the next few months with a focus on improving learning levels and liberalising the regulatory regime — key thrust areas identified by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The action plan
The government will establish “minimum levels of learning for all courses” across all higher education institutes in the country, implement them and adopt them across curricula by March 2019 as well as monitor the same. It will also bring in what is called high order skills for the students (HOSHE), a targeted placement module that will be embedded in the entire college and university system to ensure that graduates are industry-ready and more employable when they pass out.
Multiple accreditation agencies will be brought in to assess institutes on quality, a proposal mooted by the NITI Aayog and supported by the PMO. Regulations for open and distance learning will be in effect by December 2018.
The ministry will also monitor the international academic ranking agencies like QS and Shanghai and sharpen its own National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF).
Even as the government is moving to an autonomy-based regime, it has begun the process to monitor institutional performance.
One of the ‘to-do’ areas listed out by the ministry is to develop a framework for “performance-based funding” and “monitoring and evaluation of physical and financial progress of recent and ongoing projects”.
The government will also focus on social science research in the country and look to formulate a scheme by the year-end to improve research quality “especially in contemporary areas which will help the government in formulation of policy relating to present social issues”.
Study in India — the government’s plans to draw in foreign students to India will work in conjunction with a special focus on 30 countries with which India will drive educational agreements.
In keeping with the Modi government’s emphasis on publicity campaigns, the HRD ministry is set to bring in “high order publicity” for its programmes besides pushing the inter-ministerial ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ campaign.
Registration Number : DSEHE/E/2016/03186
Name Of Complainant : Vijay Singh
Date of Receipt : 09 Apr 2016
Received by : Department of Higher Education
Forwarded to : University Grants Commission
Contact Address : University Grants Commission
110002
Grievance Description : the Project – Innovation on the Indian Universities Affiliated with UGC. We found that Maximum of only 12.5% of the Total Youth Meeting the Academic, Age, Sex, Norms. e.g: Eligibility of 12.5% of the Total Youth to take Admission in the UGC Affiliated Institutions. What about the Future of Remaining 87.5% Youth, who have been Ignored by UGC. To Utilize and Channelize the Talents and Skills of the Remaining 87.5% in the Building of Strong Nation, We started work on Establishing Autonomous Enterprising, Self-Reliant Skill Based Micro University, where Age, Sex, Education No Bar and Every One Associated with the University is Competing with their-selves and not others ultimate improving Skills and Generating and Developing Job-Opportunities in every field of Specialization.
Now this University is in Existence in the Name of VISHWAKARMA UNIVERSITY FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT, INDIA A Private University setup as a Project under the management of a registered society established in 1968. Logon http://www.vishwakarmaopenuniversity.org for every detail of the University. University has its own school of thoughts, very different from traditional university. No traditional classes and has a different methodology, teaching and imparting education, knowledge and training in different groups or tutorials or individually, keeping in view the identification of talent and skills of an individual. It is Autonomous, Enterprising and Self-Reliant University. Course and Curriculum Guidelines are designed in such a way to develop their inner glow, skills, talents, remedial vision, organizing capabilities, coordination, supervision, controlling , interpreting and summarizing Power for the Best Management and Best Quality Output in the minimum effort, minimum time and minimum expenditure. This Methodology Explore to take out skills from Individual minds to Generate Resources of Money, Men Power and Material to Manage any Situation in the related Organization. Regular Field-Work, Interviews with the Professionals of the related Field of Specializations and Preparation of Questionnaire tends to develop traits of Patience, Devotion, Concentration, Courage, Adventurous, Enthusiasm in an individual. Every trainee develops its own Curriculum in the Field of Specialization as per depth of knowledge in mind in a natural way. Keeping in view the above idea logy, it is our pleasure to request your good self to consider this Presentation as University Initiative and Approve Vishwakrma Open University For Self-Employment India as Autonomous Enterprising Self-Reliant Micro University …Different and Unique School of Thought….A Concept….A Dream Come True with Your Patronage and Blessings. VISHWAKARMA UNIVERSITY FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENY,INDIA as India’s FIRST SKILL UNIVERSITY to Promote Prime Minister’s SKILL INDIA MISSION.
Current Status : CASE CLOSED Date of Action : 14 Mar 2016 Details : The UGC has already furnished its comments on 9-Mar-2016 which are self explanatory. ( Very Poor Feedback ) UGC Act 3.1-UGC Notification 9th Sept.1974 Section2(ii)(a)(b)(c)PageNo.27. Establishment of the University is justified on(a)(b)(c)grounds: Special Features. UGC has given the routine reply,ignoring the above mentioned provision of UGC for establishing Non-Academic University: Skill University. You are ignoring the Innovation Start-up Program of Hon’able Prime Minister, Shri Narendar Modi. We are not satisfy with your reply.There is no use of such Grievance Cell. Current Status : CASE CLOSED Date of Action : 30 Mar 2016 Details : Matter pertains to Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. you are requested to file your grievance on pgportal of Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. Please Give Your Valuable Feedback Excellent Very Good Good Average Poor Excellent Enter Your Comments Submit No Department/Ministry is Interested to know our grievances to forward the case of SKILL UNIVERSITY For Legislative Approval
Current Status : CASE CLOSED
Date of Action : 12 May 2016
This obsession with our higher education is really strange, when we should be really focusing on universal schooling. Our education system from the time of independence, is elitist and top down, instead it should be bottom up and universal. Introduce locally relevant subjects to local schools rather than obsessed with just PCMB. For example, modern agricultural practices must be offered in schools located in villages. Additionally, subjects like carpentry and chess etc should be introduced in all schools all over the country. Hands on experience in carpentry will not only help in self employment, but will also help students in developing engineering skills, architecture, design and planning. Introduce a 8 + 4 schooling pattern. lntroduce specialist schools, in each 700 odd districts, specialising in our “beloved” PCM, biological sciences, engineering, arts, commerce, law, trade, sports etc for the +4 seniors group. Introduce one year compulsory community service after +4 as a necessary condition for graduation. Let our children clean roads and gutters, do community policeing and work in agricultural fields. Provide quality meals in these schools universally. And make all these public funded and compulsory, potentially abolishing private schools. Our children, all of them, deserves this from us adults. In 20 years, this country will change beyond recognition. Obsession with higher education will not. Just imagine the number of jobs this will create as an indirect benefit. This neo graduates will themself establish new Stanfords and Harvards, just enable our children. And if you allow me, privetise higher education right away, if possible, specifically engineering and medical colleges, sell off IITs and NITs along with public sector banks, factories, railways and airways. Focus on building citizens, leave the rest to them.
If Phd holders (teachers) are not Industrial ready, Then how will the shape their students for the Market-demands. Many of them have not published articles in IEEE and Science Direct journals. None of the IIM professor published article in Harvard Business Review. Only a slew of patents got by the Indian professors that too from reputed Institutes like IIT(Delhi) and IISC(Bangalore)