Question : AWARD OF DEGREES

(a) whether certain Universities affiliated with University Grants Commission (UGC) are awarding degrees other than the ones specified under the UGC Act;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the UGC has directed all the Universities to approach the Commission with full justification for prior approval for awarding such degrees and if so, the details thereof along with the response of the Universities thereto;

(d) whether any action has been taken/ is likely to be taken against the Universities which have defaulted on UGC`s directives in this regard; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

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

(a) to (c) : Yes, Madam. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that some universities/institutions are awarding unspecified degrees leading to litigations and various problems for the students conferred with such degrees.

The UGC has further informed that it has been directing all Universities at regular intervals to award only those degrees which are specified by it under section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956, so as to avoid any litigations or hardships to the students and other stakeholders. The UGC has also warned Vice Chancellors of all Universities/ Deemed-to-be Universities on 9th June, 2014 that no University shall confer a degree in violation of the provisions of the notification, published in the official gazette, of degrees specified by the UGC, under section 22 of the UGC Act, 1956. The UGC has further advised the Vice-Chancellors of all Universities/Deemed-to-be Universities that if a University wishes to award a degree other than the one specified by the UGC, it shall approach the UGC for its approval six months prior to starting by degree programme with full justification on the course to be started.

(d) & (e): Contravention of the provisions of the UGC Act, 1956 relating to the award of specified degrees shall render the defaulting University and its affiliated colleges liable for appropriate action by the UGC, including the suspension of grants. Recently, such an action has been taken against University of Delhi by the UGC.