Union Minister of Education releases the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Minister of Education releases the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023” published in the PIB on 2nd June 2023

What is the News?

Union Minister of Education and Skill Development has released the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023.

Note: The first set of Regulations was notified in the year 2010, which was revised in 2016 and 2019. 

What is the current procedure for deemed to be a university?

The UGC Act 1956 provides for Central Government to declare any institution other than a University to the status of Institution Deemed to be University as if it were a university within the meaning of Section 2(f). Upon declaration, such institution shall be deemed to be a university.

The procedure for the declaration of status (General) and the establishment of an off-campus centre, minimum eligibility to acquire the status, its governance, etc. are regulated by UGC Regulations.

About the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023

With the announcement of the National Education Policy 2020 and in order to make the Regulations simple the UGC constituted an expert committee to review and revise the Regulations.

The draft Regulations passed through several stages in the process of finalization. The new Regulations are built on the principle of a “light but tight” regulatory framework envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020.

What are the salient features of UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023?

-A cluster of institutions managed by more than one sponsoring body can also apply for deemed to be university status.

-Sponsoring bodies seeking deemed to be university status to their institutions may apply ‘online’. The Expert Committee assesses the facilities, interacts with stakeholders, and verifies the documents, all in virtual mode.

-Institutions focusing on teaching and research in unique disciplines and/or addressing the strategic needs of the country or engaged in the preservation of Indian cultural heritage or preservation of the environment or dedicated to Skill Development or dedicated to Sports or languages will be considered under ‘Distinct Institution’ category.

–Regulations are quality-focused: Deemed to be Universities with NAAC less than an ‘A’ grade or ranked more than 100 in the current NIRF ranking (Universities category) will be monitored on the academic parameters by UGC Expert Committee. Failing to rectify the deficiencies may result in the withdrawal of permission given to start new courses or new programmes by the institution.

What are the expected benefits of UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023?

The guidelines will a) facilitate the creation of much more quality-focused deemed-to-be universities in an objective and transparent manner, b) encourage universities to focus on quality & excellence, c) strengthen the research ecosystem and have a long-term impact in transforming India’s higher education landscape.