University Grants Commission

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is India’s statutory national body for coordinating university education and maintaining its standards. Established under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, it operates through grants, advice, regulations, information-gathering and recognition-linked functions concerning universities.

Constitutional and statutory basis

The UGC is a statutory body, not a constitutional body. Under Article 246 and the Seventh Schedule, Entry 66 of List I covers coordination and determination of standards in higher education, while Entry 25 of List III places education in the Concurrent List, subject to relevant Union List entries.

• Its immediate legal foundation is the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

Composition

The Commission consists of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman and ten other members appointed by the Central Government. The Chairman must be chosen from persons who are not officers of the Central or any State Government.

• Among the ten members, two are Central Government officers, at least four are university teachers, and the remainder are selected from categories including Vice-Chancellors, professionals, reputed educationists and persons of high academic distinction.

Mandate and regulatory instruments

Under Section 12, the UGC must, in consultation with universities or other concerned bodies, promote and coordinate university education and determine and maintain standards of teaching, examination and research.

• It may inquire into universities’ financial needs and allocate or disburse grants for maintenance, development and purposes permitted by the Act.
• It may recommend measures to universities and advise the Union, State Governments and other authorities on grants and proposals concerning university education.
• It may collect information and require universities to furnish details about finances, studies, rules, regulations and standards.
• Under Section 26, it may make regulations concerning matters such as minimum standards of instruction for degrees and qualifications of university teachers.
• Under Section 22, it specifies recognised degrees, while Section 3 enables the Central Government, on its advice, to declare an institution deemed to be a university.
• Under Section 14, it may withhold grants when a university fails to comply with its recommendations after receiving the prescribed opportunity.