Ncher To Replace Ugc And Aicte In India

Indian Education bureaucracy has always been ahad less than 200 Engineering Colleges in 1999 ended
monster like octopus with many tentacles. The twoup with more than 650 Engineering Colleges a decade
major organizations that guided the Higher-educationlater in 2009. The number in itself would not be very
system in India are UGC and AICTE.alarming provided all the approved colleges were of
UGC was formed in 1945 to oversee the formationdesired quality and maintained standards expected of
and functioning of Universities, allocation and distributionprofessional institutions. But many even did not have
of public funds to these Universities and to managebasic classroom and laboratory infrastructure before
matters of higher education policy. AICTE on thegetting approved by the AICTE. It was common for
other hand was formed much later in 1987 to plan andinstitutions to begin classes in make shift areas and
co-ordinate the development of Technical educationcollect funds from students by charging exorbitant
system in India.fee and fines to build infrastructure later.
Though setup for different purposes, they started toThe latest HRD minister Mr. Kapil Sibal, under the
overlap in many areas of higher education planning,recommendation of Yashpal Committee, promises to
approval and accreditation. UGC has its accreditationchange all that by revoking powers from either of
system called NAAC which rates Universities whilethese organizations and merge them into a new
AICTE has its own rating mechanism for technicalorganization called National Council for Higher
colleges and universities.Education and Research (NCHER). It now remains to
Like any other government organization in India, theybe seen, if implemented, how this new organization
too became heavily bureaucratic and corrupted to thewith even greater power would yield its influence upon
extent that last year in 2009, the chairman of AICTEhigher education in India. Given Indian history, most
Mr. Yadav was suspended by the government andpowerful government departments and key positions in
charges filed against him for misusing the powers tothem are often used for personal gains than doing any
favour undeserving institutions during approval andgood.
accreditation process. It was a well know fact amongIn the present circumstances, change is essential. What
citizens that AICTE approvals, ratings and accreditationremains to be seen is, whether the change is a lesser
could be purchased at a price.evil.
For instance, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, which