Question : National Higher Education Act

(a) whether the Government has appointed any Dr. Hari Gautum Committee to review the working of the University Grants Commission (UGC);
(b) if so, the details thereof and the recommendations made by the Committee;
(c) whether the Government has any proposal to scrap the University Grants Commission based on the submissions of Committee Report;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) whether the Government has also any proposal to introduce National Higher Education Act in the place of the UGC Act, 1956; and
(f) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) Yes, Madam.

(b) to (f): The Government had constituted a Review Committee headed by Dr. Hari Gautam, former Chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) to review the working of the UGC. The Committee has recommended that instead of undertaking amendments in the UGC Act, 1956, the ‘National Higher Education Authority’ Act be set up to repeal the existing UGC Act, 1956. The Committee has further recommended that the National Higher Education Authority be invested with powers to reward and punish the quality or its absence as the case may be in higher educational institutions including the power to derecognize and/or debar the erring institutions from functioning. The Authority is recommended to have three Boards to independently look after various functions of Authority in coordination with each other, namely: ‘Regulatory Board’ to look after academics, research and the Regulatory Functions; ‘Funding Board’ to evolve the norms and parameters for allocation and be responsible for disbursement of grants including their effective utilization; and ‘Higher Education Councils’ Coordination Board’ to coordinate activities of different councils of Higher Education. The Committee has also recommended revamping and remodelling the UGC into a changed organization, through executive orders, till enactment of the new Act.
The report is being examined, in its entirety, in consultation with the Niti Aayog.
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