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A bill to set up a higher education regulator, which will replace bodies such as the UGC, is listed for introduction in the winter session of Parliament, set to commence on December 1. According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, the proposed legislation has been christened the Higher Education Commission of India Bill. The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), which was proposed in the new National Education Policy, looks to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). While the UGC oversees non-technical higher education, the AICTE oversees technical education, and the NCTE is the regulatory body for teachers' education. The HECI is proposed to be set up as a single higher education regulator, but medical and law colleges will not be brought under its ambit. It is proposed to have three major roles -- regulation, accreditation and setting professional standards. Funding,
The Delhi Police has issued two summons to Al Falah University chairman in connection with the ongoing probe into the Faridabad terror module case and the two cases registered against the university for forgery and cheating, an official said on Monday. The summons were sent after investigators found that the university's chairman Javed Ahmad Siddiqui's statement was crucial for clarifying several inconsistencies linked to the functioning of the university and the activities of individuals associated with the institution. The Crime Branch has already registered two FIRs against the Haryana-based university for cheating and forgery, following serious red flags raised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) on Saturday. Officials said both regulatory bodies flagged "major irregularities" after reviewing the university's accreditation claims and submitted their findings to law enforcement agencies. "The FIRs pertain to alle
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all higher education institutions to stop offering programmes in healthcare and allied disciplines, including psychology and nutrition through Open and Distance Learning or online mode from the 2025 academic session, according to officials. The ban applies to courses under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. These include psychology, microbiology, food and nutrition science, biotechnology, clinical nutrition and dietetics. "No higher educational institutions (HEIs) shall be permitted to offer any allied and healthcare programmes covered in NC??? Act, 2021, including psychology as specialisation under Open and Distance Learning and online mode, from the academic session July-August, 2025 and onwards. Any recognition already granted to HEIs for offering such programmes for the academic session July-August 2025 and onwards shall be withdrawn by the UGC," UGC secretary Manish Joshi said. "In
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed higher education institutions to monitor any informal WhatsApp groups created to harass juniors, saying it will be treated as ragging and attract strict action under anti-ragging rules, according to officials. The UGC receives dozens of complaints every year from freshers alleging harassment by seniors. "In several cases, seniors form informal WhatsApp groups, contact juniors and subject them to mental harassment. This too amounts to ragging and will invite disciplinary measures," the UGC said in its latest directive. "Student safety on campus is paramount and non-negotiable. Failure to enforce anti-ragging norms may lead to stringent action, including withholding of grants," it warned. The advisory also flagged incidents where juniors were threatened with social boycott if they did not follow seniors' instructions. Forcing students to cut their hair, stay awake for long hours or verbally humiliating them were cited as other commo
The Supreme Court has sought response from the Union education ministry and others on a plea seeking measures to ensure fair and transparent grading by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of Higher Education Institutions. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the ministry, the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the NAAC on a plea filed by NGO Bistro Destino Foundation. The NAAC, set up in 1994, is an autonomous body under the UGC that grades colleges and universities on parameters such as curriculum, faculty, infrastructure, research and financial well-being. "We wish to go deep into the matter and know how NAAC is functioning issue notice. Liberty to file additional documents," the bench said in its April 9 order. The plea has raised concerns of transparency and fairness in the process of assessment and grading of higher educational institutions conducted by the NAAC. The petition stated that under the present system of functioni
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that three foreign universities are currently operating in the country and the University Grants Commission (UGC) is likely to grant approval to 50 qualitative foreign varsities in the coming times in the interest of students. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, the minister said the University Act, 1956 says that UGC can amend its rules going by the needs of the time. "Around 14-15 lakh students of the country study abroad and a lot of our resources go into foreign land. Keeping that in view and to develop higher research within the country, it would be proper to bring in foreign universities. With this in mind, UGC has amended its rules," Pradhan told the Rajya Sabha. He said not two but three foreign universities are operating in India currently. Over 50 qualitative foreign universities are in talks with different state governments and have reached the UGC for permission, he added. "In the
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that the draft UGC regulations of 2025 not only diminish the role of state governments in higher education, but in reality sideline them. The CM said that under the draft regulations, the states have no role in appointment of vice chancellors (VCs) and assistant professors in state-established universities and termed them as "undemocratic and excessive". He was speaking after inaugurating a National Convention here on the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations of 2025 which was attended by ministers from the neighbouring states of Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. He said that powers for appointing VCs have been given to Chancellors, who are the Governors appointed by the Centre, and therefore there was scope for politically motivated selections which would be harmful for the higher education sector in the country. He claimed that "gubernatorial excesses" were experienced by many opposition-ruled states, ...
TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday termed as "anti-constitutional" the draft UGC regulations for selection of vice chancellors in Central and state universities. Demanding a rollback of the criteria of the search-and-selection committee of vice chancellors of state-aided universities, Moitra said during Zero Hour that there is no state-government representative in the committee even though states pay completely for the state-run universities. The draft UGC regulation, 2025, which seeks to replace the UGC regulation 2018, is "over-centralised, anti-constitutional and anti-federal", Moitra said. According to the draft regulations, industry experts, as well as senior professionals from public administration, public policy and public sector undertakings, might soon be eligible for appointment as vice chancellors. The draft norms have also given power to chancellors or visitors to constitute the three-member search-cum-selection committee to appoint vice chancellors. The new guidelines wil
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged the UGC's draft regulations on the appointment of teachers and academic staff in universities and colleges was an attempt to push the agenda of the RSS that aimed to achieve its idea of imposing "one history, one tradition, one language" on the country. Speaking at a protest against the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations organised by the DMK here, the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) aim was the eradication of all other histories, cultures and traditions of the country. "That is its starting point and that is what it wants to achieve. It attacks the Constitution because it wants to achieve one idea which is its idea -- one history, one tradition, one language -- on this country," the former Congress chief said. "This attempt that it is doing with the education system of different states is just another attempt to push its agenda," Gandhi said. "Each state has its ...