M.M. Ansari calls for better relations between HRD, UGC

University Grants Commission (UGC) member M.M. Ansari on Thursday called for better relations between the Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ministry and national bodies and universities.

"The relationship between the MHRD and other national bodies like UGC and universities is important. In most cases, the decisions are not taken individually; they are taken collectively by the government," said Ansari.

"It is important to see the performance and the approach of the government in taking the decision making process rather than commenting on any individual," he added.

Ansari said the HRD Ministry has a gigantic task of strengthening the country's higher educational institutions and providing adequate funding so that the youth could be prepared for the emerging knowledge economy.

"Now, in this context I see that a large number of graduates who enter into the job market are not well-prepared and the reason is that most of the universities and colleges are starved of staff; they don't have adequate infrastructure," he added.

Ansari, whose term with the UGC expires in August next year, also said that the quality of teaching research is unduly very low.

"That calls for bringing in certain changes so that we can prepare our youth, who could be employed in the job market. It will be they who would achieve the goal of good governance and development," said Ansari.

"From this point of view, I think there is a lot of difference between what is said in the name of improving governance and what is being said about improving the quality and relevance of education at all levels. There is a mismatch and not much has been done as yet," he added.