The Hindu : National : UGC to review all schemes

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Sunday, Oct 02, 2005

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National

UGC to review all schemes

Anita Joshua

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has initiated an academic review of all its existing schemes and set up User Feedback Committees (UFCs) at the seven regional offices to assess the impact of the various programmes to bring about "qualitative changes'' in higher education in the XIth Plan.

While work has begun in right earnest on the UFC front, the academic review is likely to begin by mid-November. The academic review will be undertaken in collaboration with the State Councils for Higher Education (SCHE) which is the policy-making body for higher education in various States. The reports from these two nationwide exercises will be used as inputs while preparing proposals for higher education in the XIth Plan, UGC officiating Chairman V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai told The Hindu here on Saturday.

Since Andhra Pradesh is the first State in the country to set up an SCHE, it has been entrusted with the task of evolving a mechanism for continuous interaction between UGC and the State Councils. The Andhra Pradesh SCHE has also been requested to host the first such interaction which is aimed at finding ways that will allow States to tailor various UGC schemes to their specific needs.

The mandate of the UFCs is to assess the impact of the UGC schemes and suggest measures for their better implementation. While seeking feedback from the various stakeholders — including researchers and students — the UFCs will look at the scope of different schemes under operation and their impact in the region.

The UFCs have been asked to identify requirements of colleges, and establish linkages among UGC, academia, industry, State administrations and other education-related establishments in the region. Besides two Vice-Chancellors from each State, all directors of the Collegiate of Education and College Development Councils, all seven UFCs will have five principals, representatives of industry and business organisations such as the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, teachers, research scholars and students.

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