New Delhi: The University Grants Commission or the UGC controlling all higher educational institutions for over 50 years now may soon be history, thanks to a renovation and rejuvenation report given to the government.
While receiving the report, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that they would treat the report like Bible and that Bible says to put this body to rest.
"Reform for education cannot wait, it has to start now," said Kapil Sibal, HRD Minister.
Unlike his predecessor Arjun Singh, Sibal says he means business and he promises that the report will be implemented in 100 days.
That means:
- The new body National Commission of Higher Education and Research will not control funds, teacher appointments or even fee structure
- A taskforce will oversee the transition from regulatory bodies to autonomy
- Centres of excellence like IITs and IIMs will be encouraged to become universities so they teach much more than just engineering or management
"We want the best teachers from foreign countries, from all over to just come over here," said Prof Yashpal, author of report.
The former HRD Minister Arjun Singh's big idea was OBC reservation that did not make him very popular with various institutes. The new policies promise to raise the government's popularity quotient.