Academicians Criticise Centre’s Decision to Scrap UGC
Centre’s decision to replace UGC with HECI is drawing criticism across the country. Academic experts are of the opinion that the move will increase interruption from political parties in the decision making of education matters.
After DUTA trashed centre’s decision to replace UGC with Higher Education Commission of India, academicians across the country also criticised the move to scrap the University Grants Commission. The academicians indicated that politicians have no authority to interfere in academic matters. Union HRD Ministry invited feedback on setting up of new regulator last week.
The academicians have criticised a particular clause of the act, which indicated that the new regulator would focus only on academic matters and monetary grants will be under the purview of the government. They are of the opinion that setting up of the new regulator is of no use as it will increase the interference of government in academic matters. On the other hand, the draft ECI (Education Commission of India) Act lacks purpose and clarity according to them.
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According to academic experts, the new norms will increase the burden of the university in terms of resource generation. Such burden will force the varsity to increase the fees and a enforce a cutback in recruitment. The new norms will also increase the involvement of political parties in decision making on matters related to education. In fact, a group of core educationists and veteran academicians must take a decision with regard to the education sector.
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Professor at IGNOU, Mr. Kapil Sharma pointed out that the new norms will provide scope for more government interference in each aspect such as admission process, fees, intake of research scholars etc. If the government feels that there are certain loopholes in the functioning of UGC, they must be addressed on an institution-specific basis. Only the academicians in the higher education are capable of addressing the loopholes and not the government, he highlighted.