New Delhi: Privileges and autonomy benefits to higher education institutions (HEIs) are likely to depend on their implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) under a proposed evaluation system, a move that can potentially trigger pushback from some states.
This University Grants Commission (UGC) proposal can spark fresh tensions between the Centre and the opposition-ruled states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which have either opposed the NEP in full or certain aspects of it.
In a notification last week, the Commission explained that it has “decided to develop a system to evaluate HEIs based on the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020”.
The UGC further clarified that in its existing regulations, “grades/scores obtained in NAAC accreditation are taken as criteria to make HEIs eligible for certain privileges/entitlements,” and now, the NEP implementation will also play a key role in determining eligibility for various benefits.
“The progress made by the HEIs in implementing the NEP 2020 will be considered while granting privileges and entitlements under various UGC Regulations,” the notification added, emphasising that the successful adoption of the policy would be a factor in awarding these benefits.
Inviting suggestions from stakeholders on the proposed norms, the UGC has also proposed a two-step evaluation process to assess institutions’ adherence to the NEP, with specific parameters used to allocate points.
Currently, higher education institutions are eligible for various benefits if they are accredited with a good score by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), an autonomous body under the UGC. These benefits include increased autonomy, the ability to introduce new courses and departments, and the ability to offer online courses, among others, without UGC’s approval.
If implemented, institutions’ commitment to the NEP will become the main factor in securing these advantages, along with NAAC accreditation.
Last week, the UGC proposed giving chancellors a greater role in the appointment of vice-chancellors. In state universities, the governors serve as chancellors. The Tamil Nadu government has already voiced its opposition to this proposal.
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What is UGC’s proposal
According to the proposed two-step evaluation, institutions must meet mandatory “qualifiers” in the first step. These HEIs will next be evaluated based on data and evidence submitted to support their claimed fulfillment of these qualifiers. Grants and privileges will be awarded based on the points institutions earn.
To be eligible, HEIs must first meet certain basic criteria. These include NAAC accreditation, registration on the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) portal, and having Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) and Students Grievance Redressal Committees. Institutions must also be registered for the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) system, among other requirements.
Additionally, HEIs will need to submit a questionnaire focused on their NEP implementation for which the UGC has outlined 49 parameters. These include employing Professors of Practice, participating in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), enrolling at least 3,000 students in the academic year, implementing a four-year undergraduate programme, offering courses in Indian languages, incorporating Indian Knowledge Systems into the curriculum, appointing vice-chancellors according to UGC regulations, and adopting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admissions, among other criteria.
The Commission has also added collaborations with foreign universities in terms of twinning, joint and dual degree programmes as a parameter. The institutions will have to substantiate their claims by submitting documentary evidence or relevant information.
Performance, it said, in the given parameters will help universities enjoy the benefits under different UGC guidelines.
For instance, institutions that meet 80 percent of the specified parameters will be eligible to offer full-fledged online programmes without requiring prior approval. Presently, they need to have 3.26 out of four or above NAAC score to do so.
Similarly, universities or colleges with 90 percent of the eligible parameters will be granted Category-1 autonomy. This level of autonomy allows them to establish new campuses and centers, set up research parks, hire foreign faculty without UGC approval, and admit foreign students based on merit, among other privileges. Presently, they should have at least 3.51/4 NAAC score.
Why it can be a hot potato
Officials from some universities in West Bengal and Karnataka have expressed concerns that they might lose critical benefits due to the proposed changes in the higher education system.
“The Centre linked the NEP condition to the PM SHRI Scheme, and when some states chose not to adopt it, their Samagra Shiksha funds were halted. This seems like a similar attempt to push through a change in higher education, despite education being a Concurrent subject,” a senior official from JIS University, a private institution on the outskirts of Kolkata, told ThePrint.
In 2022, the Centre launched the PM SHRI Scheme to upgrade 14,500 existing schools into model institutions. However, states are required to sign a MoU, committing to the NEP implementation. This stipulation has led to a standoff with opposition-run states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, which have yet to adopt the scheme.
Last year, the Centre withheld its share of funding for the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, a major school education programme, over delay in signing up for the scheme.
The officials at several private universities said that while the CUET implementation is not currently mandatory, the UGC’s proposed evaluation criteria include it as a key parameter.
“The UGC’s move appears to be an indirect attempt to make CUET mandatory for both private and state-run universities. Although, at present, the test is compulsory only for central universities, private and state institutions may feel pressured to adopt it to avoid losing benefits,” a senior official from Bengaluru North University told ThePrint.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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The four year undergraduate degree is the need of the hour. The three year degrees are not suited for this era. The sooner universities and colleges shift to this four year degree the better off the nation will be. The transition will be painful with lots of trial and error involved but it is urgently needed. These reforms are long overdue.