UGC pushes for providing autonomous status to colleges

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has pushed ahead with the strategy of offering autonomous status to India's better-performing colleges. The move is an attempt to boost the quality of teaching and learning in the country’s higher education institutions.

The regulator of the higher education sector has given the autonomous status to 37 colleges so far. This took the total number to 672 colleges across 106 universities.

Rajnish Jain, Secretary of UGC, said, "Nearly, 40 colleges in districts across the country were granted autonomous status in the current year by the commission. We are also planning to make the process of applying for autonomous status online and comparatively simpler. It is felt that autonomy can provide a much-needed boost to academic standards."

Inder Mohan Kapahy, the former UGC member, stated, "The idea of academic autonomy to higher education systems is a good idea. But the full benefits of academic autonomy can be reaped only if the colleges have financial support to effectively implement innovations and new academic structures. In the absence of such support, only minor tinkering with the routine academic structures are possible."