UGC okays varsity chair on RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay

New Delhi: Universities will now be able to set up a chair in the name of RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay to carry out study on his works and ideas as the University Grants Commission today approved a proposal in this regard.

In another key development, the higher education regulator has also approved the proposed guidelines for creating 20 world class institutions in the country.
At a meeting of the Commission here, a proposal to create a chair in the name of Upadhyay was approved, sources said.

Last December, a five-member committee of experts had recommended that Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Chair may also be established by the Commission to study his socio-economic thoughts and 'Integral Humanism'.

"Now onwards, universities will be able to send proposals to the UGC for creating a Chair in the name of Upadhyay to carry out research related to his thoughts and contributions. The UGC will consider the proposals," a source said.

There are around 30 personalities on whom a chair can be created in universities. These chairs are approved and then also funded by the UGC, the sources said.

The sources also said that with the UGC clearing the final draft for creating 20 world class universities, the proposal is likely to go to the Cabinet soon.

The Modi government has been focussing on creating 20 world class institutions, ten in the public sector and ten in the private sector.

A more liberal regulatory framework has been recommended for these institutes as they will get more autonomy in designing syllabi, deciding fee and also the teachers would be allowed to take up consultancy work, etc.

It is learnt that the government sector institutions may be given financial support up to Rs 1,000 crore each, the sources said.