 HIGHER EDUCATION

THE PRESENT SITUATION

1. We have a large system of higher education. But the developments in this field have been extremely uneven. The facilities provided in Universities an Colleges vary widely. Research in the Universities is cost effective, but large inputs have gone' to laboratories outside the Universities. The courses offered by the universities have not been reorganised to meet the demands of the times. Their relevance and utility are constantly questioned. The credibility of the evaluation system is being eroded.

2. The University system should be enabled to move centre-stage. It should have the freedom and responsiblity to innovate in teaching and research. The emphasis on autonomy of colleges and departments, provision of means to interact across boundaries of institutions and funding agencies, better infrastructure, more rationalised funding for research, integration of teaching, search and evaluation, all these reflect this major concern.

THE POLICY, PROGRAMMES AND STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

3. The National Policy on Education visualises that higher education should become dynamic as never before. The main features of the programmes and strategies to impart the necessary dynamism to the higher education system will consist of the following:

(i) Consolidation and Expansion of Institutions

(ii) Development of Autonomous Colleges and Departments.

(iii) Redesigning Courses

iv) Training of Teachers

(v) Strengthening Research

(vi) Improvements in Efficiency

(vii) Creation of sturctures for co-ordination at the State and National levels.

viii) Mobility

CONSOLIDATION AND EXPANSION (para 5.26)

4. Many of the 150 Universities and 5,000 Colleges have not been provided with a minimum level of infrastructure for the

maintenance of quality and standards. Provision of these facilities is essential to protect the system from deterioration.

5. It will not be possible to eliminate all the accumulated deficiencies immediately. A beginning is proposed to be made to improve the facilities in these institutions in the Seventh Plan which will continue in the Eighth and subsequent Plans. To achieve these objectives, it is proposed:

(a) to provide appropriate funding to Universities and Colleges according to the norms to be evolved by the University Grants Commission for each specified course and intake;

(b) to prepare a plan to equip the existing institutions in phased manner on the basis of the norms prescribed;

(c) to establish institutions within the university system which will have close ties with National Laboratories and other agencies; a Task Force will be appointed by the UGC to evolve guidelines for setting up such institutions and their management structure;

(d) to formulate a scheme by the UGC to provide financial assistance and other incentives, including model statutes for promotion and development of autonomous departments within the universities;

(e) to review the Management patterns including the structure, roles and responsibilities of various universities/bodies in the light of the new demands on the Univesity system. The UGC will take steps to promote the evolution of new, efficient and more effective management systems and organise wide discussions on them so that they may become the basis of new legislations.

(f) to take effective steps to ensure that no new institutions are established without careful planning and the provision of the necessary physical facilities;

(g) to formulate guidelines for granting affiliation to new colleges which should provide, among others, the minimum facilities required in each institution including new teaching aids such as audio-visual systems, VCRs, computers, etc ; and

(h) to regulate admission on the basis of physical facilities and to develop entrance examinations for admission to institutions of higher education.

6. The State Councils of Higher Education will prepare coordiated programmes of development of higher education in each State for consolidation of the existing institutions and their infrastructure, programme of strengthening non viable colleges including alternate forms of their utilisation (vocationalisation

and diversification of courses), special programmes for strengthening colleges located in rural areas, etc. Such State level plans will be consolidated by the UGC and progress of their implementation monitored by it.

DEVELOPMENT OF AUTONOMOUS COLLEGES (pars. 5.28)

7. The system of affiliated colleges does not provide autonomy to deserving colleges to frame curricula, courses of studies , or their own system of evaluation. Although the UGC has been supporting this programme, only 21 colleges have been conferred autonomous status so far.

8. It is envisaged that about 500 colleges should be developed as autonomous colleges in the Seventh Plan, and the existing affiliating system might be replaced in the long run. Due care will be taken to evolve a suitable framework for autonomous Colleges.

9. In order to achieve this objective, it is proposed:

(a) to make provision in the University Acts where necessary, to enable colleges to become autonomous;

(b) to frame guidelines and pattern of assistance including the extent of academic, administrative and financial freedom and the corresponding responsibilities devolving on the autonomous colleges, their management structures, including provisions for safeguarding the interests of teachers, etc;

(c) to formulate a scheme of incentives such as special assistance to selected colleges, creation of posts of Readers and Professors, provision of a higher level of grant for development, etc. to colleges which become autonomous;

(d) to provide special assistance to colleges in tribal/ backward areas to enable them to develop into autonomous colleges;

(e) to make statutory provision, if necessary, to enable autonomous colleges to award their own degrees or to confer deemed university status on them to develop other appropriate mechanisms to accelerate the process of curricular reforms, design of courses, reforms in teaching and evaluation procedures, etc.

(f) to develop appropriate instruments for review/appraisal of the scheme of autonomous colleges at regular intervals, and to develop interaction among colleges to promote the scheme of autonomous colleges;

(g) to initiate detailed studies to develop alternate methods of university-college relationships that could replace the existing affiliating system in the long run.

10. The programme of autonomous colleges will be fully. funded by the Central Government for a period of five years. Funds for this purpose will be made available to the UGC. However, the maintenance expenditure of these colleges will continue to be met by the resources which provide such expenditure, at present.

DESIGN OF COURSES (para 5.29)

11. Higher Education Programmes have to be redesigned to meet the growing demands of specialisation , to provide flexibility in the combination of courses, to facilitate mobility among courses, programmes and institutions, to update and modernise curricula, to integrate work/practical experience and participation in creative activities with the learning processes, and to facilitate reforms in the evaluation procedure. The present rigid structures do not permit these reforms.

12. In order to achieve this objective, it is proposed:

(a) to secure full involvement of the Universities and faculties in redesigning and reorienting the courses in higher education;

(b) to review comprehensively the existing guidelines on restructuring courses framed by the UGC to incorporate the new concepts in the design, content and structure envisaged in the policy;

(c) The foundation course proposed in the UGC scheme of restructuring courses will be an important element of the general undergraduate programmes. A special emphasis should be laid on the study of India's Composite Culture so as to foster unity and integrity of the country among students. Women's studies will be one of the components of the Foundation Course. The curricula of different disciplines will also reflect issues concerning Women's status and development;

(d) to reorganise the Boards of Studies in the Universities to facilitate redesigning of courses and to promote inter disciplinary programmes and inter-faces with employment;

(e) to make provision for academic recognition /credit for participation in creative activities like NSS, NCC, Sports, Games, etc;

(f) to organise regional/national seminars to generate enthusiasm in and commitment to the new design of courses, flexibility in the combinations, modular structure, accumulation of credits etc. ; and

(g) to link development grants to universities with the willingness and interest in reorganisation of courses and commitment to innovation as a continuing effort.

13. During the Seventh Plan, the UGC has set up 24 Curriculum Development Centres. This number will be increased and their work will be oriented to the design visualised in the Policy. The International Centre of Science & Technology Education may be utilised to coordinate and develop curricula in the field of Science & Technology. To begin with, in the next three years, model course material in 15 subjects will be developed in the form of audio/video cassettes with the help of best available teachers. The material could also be used for self-instruction and put out as radio/TV broadcasts. Eventually, such material is proposed to be made available as multimedia packages.

14. Autonomous colleges and autonomous Departments Will be major instruments in promoting the redesign of courses. The college Development Councils to be set up will encourage local initiative in the design of courses especially the application-oriented component and strengthening of linkages. The State Councils of Higher Education will ensure the implementation of these programmes and monitor the progress of their implementation.

TEACHERS' TRAINING (pars. 5.31)

15. The present system does not accord teachers a proper economic and social status, opportunities for professional and Career development, initiative for innovation and creative work, proper orientation in concept, techniques and value System to fulfil their role and responsibilities. Motivation of teachers is important for implementation of the policy.

16. In order to achieve this, it is proposed:

(a) to organise specially designed orientation programmes in teaching methodologies, pedagogy, educational psychology, etc., for all new entrants at the level of lecturers.

(b) to organise refresher courses for serving teachers to cover every teacher at least once in 5 years.

(c) to organise orientation programmes by using the internal resources of universities and by bringing a number of colleges together.

(d) to ecourage teachers to participate in seminars, symposia, etc.

17. The Indira Gandhi National Open University will run special programmes to promote self-learning among teachers. The recommen- dations of the Committee on revision of pay scales of teachers in universities and colleges will be examined for implementation. Teachers will be recruited on the basis of a common qualifying test the details of which will be formulated by the UGC. Methodologies will be developed for evaluation of teacher performance through self- appraisal, through peer groups, and also by students. Career advancement of teachers will be linked with professional

development and performance appraisal. The Management structures of universities will be remodelled to provide opportunities for greater participation of teachers at all levels in academic administration.

RESEARCH IN UNIVERSITIES (paras 5.32 and 5.33)

18. A large number of research institutions have been set up outside the university system. The process of higher education has to develop in close contact with first class research in frontier areas of science, technology, humanities and social sciences. If higher education has to become relevant and solve the most difficult problems, universities must come centre-stage. They should grapple with significant scientific problems of industry and national agencies.

19. In order to achieve these objectives, it is proposed:

(a) to strengthen the infrastructure and enhance the funding of research in universities;

(b) to set up cooperative research facilities in the university sector;

(c) to locate most of the research institutes to be set up in the future in the universities with appropriate autonomous management structure;

(d) to encourage industries to set up most of their research activities in the university sector;

(e) to foster formal links with various research agencies to link education with research and to identify tasks that could be undertaken within the university system;

(f) to modify curricula and methodologies of learning through appropriate research and development to incorporate elements of problem solving, creativity and relevance; and

(g) to institute talent search examinations and Scholarship schemes at undergraduate and post-graduate levels; to conduct all-India tests for admission to research programmes and to introduce periodic review of fellowships.

20. Several agencies are funding research projects at present. While the multiplicity of funding may continue for sponsored research or goal-oreinted projects, a National Research Foundation is proposed to be set up to bring about better coordination, overview and quality control. This Foundation will fund all research programmes presently supported by Central Government except those directly related to the missions of the existing agencies. The National Research Foundation will be an independent body set up by pooling together, and subsequently augmenting, the resources now being utilised by various agencies. A Working Group will be set up to formulate details of its structure and functio-

ning.

IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCY

21. in order to improve the overall efficiency in the functioning of the universities it is proposed :

(a) to equip every university with a computer for maintenance of students records, accounts and other data required for administration and management.

(b) to establish networking arrangements of selected institutions from all parts of the country by linking them together through a computer data network with terminals for each to enable sharing of information, data banks, library and computation resources, consultancy and consultation and generally promotion of interaction between researchers and academics.

(c) to ensure access to information and source material essential for research, a network of regional libraries as a common servicing facility will be established. These libraries will be equipped with modern facilities for information storage, retrieval reprography, etc.

CREATION OF MACHINARIES FOR CO-ORDINATED DEVELOPMENT

(A) STATE COUNCILS OF HIGHER EDUCATION (pars. 5.30)

22. There is at present no effective machinery for planning and coordination of Higher Education at the State level and co-ordination of State level programmes with those of the UGC. In order to fill this gap, it is proposed :

(a) to set up State Councils of Higher Education as Statutory Bodies.

(b) to have for the guidance of State Governments, model provisions framed by the UGC setting out the composition and powers of the State Councils.

(1) preparation of consolidated programmes of higher education in each State.

(2) initial scrutiny of the development programmes of universities and colleges.

(3) assistance and advice to UGC in respect of maintenance of standards.

(4) assistance to State Governments in determining the block maintenance grants.