HRD Ministry rejects report of UGC being scrapped

The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Wednesday rejected a report which suggested that a review committee has recommended scrapping of the University Grants Commission.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Wednesday rejected a report which suggested that a review committee has recommended scrapping of the University Grants Commission.

Describing the report as incorrect and uncalled for, the ministry said that it has constituted a committee of experienced and credible academicians to recommend the restructuring and strengthening of the UGC for attaining better performance in a bid to meet the desired objective.

It said that the committee headed by Dr Hari Gautam has submitted its report to the Secretary (Higher Education). The report is yet to be examined.

It added that the mandate given to the committee was to analyse, review and recommend to the ministry the architecture required for the restructuring process.

"No such decision on the UGC getting scrapped has been taken and the recommendations are yet to be understood and analysed before any decision is taken in the matter. The UGC has been created by an Act of the Parliament and cannot be unilaterally scrapped," the ministry said.

Earlier in the day, a report claimed that a review committee panel has suggested that the UGC has failed to fulfil its responsibilities and recommended that "if possible, it should be scrapped".

The panel has further recommended that the UGC should be replaced by a national higher education authority, the report added.

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