(a) whether the number of universities is inadequate in the country for world class education
and talent in this era of globalization;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;
(c) the number of universities in the country as on date along with the number of universities
actually required State/UT-wise;
(d) whether the Government has taken any measures or proposes to take any measures to
meet the shortage of universities in the country; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)
(a) to (e): As far as Global rankings are concerned, India has recorded 23 institutions in the
best global Higher Educational Institutions in Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings of 2020 as
against 20 in 2018. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is ranked second in the world for citations
per faculty in the QS Global best university 2020 ranking.
In order to encourage World Class Universities, the Government/UGC has
approved the scheme of providing a regulatory architecture for setting up/upgrading of 20
Institutions (10 from public sector & 10 private sector) as world class teaching and research
institutions called as ‘Institutions of Eminence’. The regulatory architecture has been provided
in the form of UGC (Declaration of Government Institutions as Institutions of Eminence)
Guidelines, 2017 for public institutions and UGC (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be
Universities) Regulations, 2017 for private institutions.
Further, in addition to this, towards making available finance for basic infrastructure
and top end research facilities in higher education institutions, Government has created the
Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA). HEFA provides timely and project based funding
to school, higher and medical education institutions and targets to finance projects up to Rs. 1
lakh crore by year 2022 for the above categories of institutions.
*****