The UGC has decided to investigate any irregularities in Ph.D. awards and teacher appointments in higher education institutes (HEIs). ​Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), disclosed to IANS on Wednesday that during its 568th meeting, the Commission decided to establish a permanent committee. This committee will oversee the awarding of PhDs and the hiring of professors at higher education institutions (HEIs).
According to the UGC Chairman, the Committee will meet on a regular basis. It will choose a few institutions and gather information regarding faculty appointments and the awarding of Ph.D. degrees. The Committee will verify documents to determine whether the process of appointing teachers and awarding Ph.D. degrees is in compliance with UGC regulations. In the case of violations, it will recommend appropriate actions.
“Since the regulations set minimum standards for HEIs, any violation of them inevitably lowers the standards of higher education. The UGC treats such violations with utmost seriousness. It plans to take strict measures to prevent breaches of UGC Regulations,” Kumar added.
Higher education institutions play a well-known role in cultivating thinkers and disseminating knowledge for the benefit of the country’s development. Among other things, the UGC periodically announces regulations to assure the quality of teachers and the quality of research degrees.
The UGC has the responsibility to promote and coordinate university education. The UGC asserts that the caliber of individuals who deliver higher education and the methods used to further research are largely correlated.
UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures of the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, 2018, are the rules that are now in effect.
The University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022, are an additional one.
“Both regulations set the conditions for determining and maintaining standards in selecting candidates for the appointment of teachers. They also set standards for the quality of research degrees awarded in HEIs and are mandatory. However, despite the regulations, complaints from stakeholders about violations are not uncommon,” Kumar added.
(Source: OTV News)
