Educationists oppose Centre’s move to replace UGC with Higher Education Commission of India

Visakhapatnam: Several educationists including professors and scholars strongly opined that there was no need to abolish the University Grants Commission (UGC) to introduce Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) as part of reform measures undertaken by the government for the overhaul of higher education regulatory bodies.

The educationists also demanded the Central government that instead of abolishing the UGC, it should strengthen the UGC it and accord total autonomy to it. The Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Andhra University, and All-India Save Education Committee, jointly organised a seminar on ‘Crisis in higher education in the backdrop of abolishing UGC’ here on Friday.

Students, scholars, professors, several educationists and officials of various departments in the varsity participated in the seminar and discussed threadbare on the issue.

Andhra Pradesh Chapter of All India Save Educational Committee (AISEC) general secretary Govinda Rajulu briefed about the structure, composition, functions and weaknesses of UGC. 

He also described how education was commercialised, establishment of universities in private sector, privatisation of education and government interference into autonomy of universities. He mentioned the reasons for abolition of UGC and communalisation of education.

He suggested that some reforms in UGC including more autonomy and funding, to strengthen public funding for universities, to promote research on par with international standards and to protect rights of teachers and students.

Presiding over the seminar, Dr Peteti Premanandam, HoD of Political Science and Public Administration, Andhra University, explained the importance of higher education. He also briefed on the impact and challenges after abolishing the UGC in the country.

Dr N Chandrasekhar, vice-president of AISEC, highlighted the introduction of Higher Education Commission of India Act–2018 (HECI) replacing the UGC.

He explained the problems, consequences, implication of HECI and how the government was dissatisfied with the UGC. He also pointed out political and bureaucratic interference into the higher education and how it affects the progress of students, scholars and teaching faculty.