Central government prepares draft act to scrap UGC; to be replaced with HECI

In order to strengthen the quality of higher education and curb bogus universities, the government has decided to make major changes in the UGC Act. Under this, the organization named UGC will now end. Instead, it will be replaced by the HECI (Higher Education Commission of India). But it does not have the right to give financial help to the universities and colleges. Now this authority will be directly with the Ministry.

Under the new Act, the HECI will have the right to cancel the direct action and recognition of the fake universities and the institutions giving out fake degrees in the field of higher education. In addition, those who have been found of irregularities will be fined and sentenced for upto three years. There will be only one commission for all the universities under the new act. These will include Central University, State University, Private University, Deemed University.

Rules are now set for the universities like Private and Deemed. At the same time, it will also be necessary to fix the online regulation within the purview of HECI, strengthening of NAC, setting up autonomy for the universities and colleges, including open learning regulation through portals. Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted: “It will be the end of the inspector rule in higher education.”