Virtual Shiksha

Website

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http://www.ugc.ac.in

Description

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The University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory organization established by an Act of Parliament in 1956. It is a national body for the co-ordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. The UGC serves as a vital link between the Union and State Governments and the Institutions of higher learning. In addition to its role of giving grants to universities and colleges, the university Grants Commission also advises Central and State Governments on the measures necessary for the improvement of University education. It also frames regulations such as those on the minimum standards of instruction and qualifications of teacher on the advice of subject specialists and academicians with whom it frequently interacts in
connection with the formulation, evaluation and monitoring of programmes.

Section 12 of the UGC Act provides that the commission shall in Consultation with the concerned Universities, take all such steps as it may think fit for the promotion and coordination of university education and foe the maintenance of standards in teaching, examination and research. To teaching and research, extension was added as the third dimension of education in a policy decision taken by the commission in 1977. Various schemes/ programmes are implemented by the commission for promoting excellence and enhancing standards of institutions of higher education.