Born on 28th December 1953, University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory organisation of the Government of India.
Formed by the Act of Parliament in 1956, it works for coordination, determination, and maintenance of standards of teaching, conducting the examination, and performing research in university education.
India is proud to manage the world's largest education system through UGC headquartered in New Delhi along with two additional bureaus operating in Delhi.

University Grants Commission - Roles

• The main aim of UGC is to provide public funds to various institutions and universities.


• UGC coordinates, determine and maintain the ethics in the institutions providing higher education in India.


• UGC upholds the interpretation among various universities, government, as well as the community.


• With the rising institutions providing higher education in India. Many universities; small, medium, and big ones have been established. UGC has set some standards that they must follow mandatorily by the universities approved by it.


• Some fake universities do not meet the standards set by the UGC. Therefore, UGC has also revealed a list if fake universities in India to protect the students from falling into the prey with them.


• India is a vast country in which thousands of colleges offer numerous courses. Although it is impossible to ensure and maintain a common standard for all, UGC makes this possible to a large extent.


• For this purpose, one of the best ways to ensure quality education in all its universities and institutions, UGC provides that the teachers are excellent. It is because of this that the UGC gives the final approval for appointment of a lecturer in any of these colleges the UGC gives the final approval for appointment of a lecturer in any of these colleges.

University Grants Commission - Functions

• Promotion and coordination of university education.


• UGC is responsible for the formation of rules on minimum standards of education.


• Setting minimum standards for examining ICAR NET, CBSE UGC NET, and CSIR UGC NET.


• Scrutinising growth in the fields relating to college and university education.


• UGC allows grants to the universities and colleges.


• Maintenance of connections between the Central and the State Governments and other institutions providing higher education.


• Suggest necessary procedures to the Union and the State governments to make positive changes in the university education.


• Besides these essential functions, a total of 16 institutions are controlled by UGC. Although in 2009, it was decided to pass on the duties of UGC to AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), UGC continues to operate.

University Grants Commission - Awards & Recognition
The UGC has always been keen on encouraging teaching and research. For this purpose, UGC bestowed its brilliant researchers and lecturers with honours. These are:

• UGC Hari Om Ashram Trust Award
• UGC Swami Pranavananda Saraswati National Award, and
• UGC National Veda Vyas Sanskrit Award.

University Grants Commission - Examination

• UGC conducts National Eligibility Test (NET) to select candidates for the position of Assistant Professor or both Junior Research Fellowship (JFR) in Universities and colleges in India.


• Earlier, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) use to conduct the NET on behalf of UGC.


• Since December 2018 onwards, the National Testing Agency (NTA) replaced CBSE and ordered UGC to conduct the NET exam.

University Grants Commission - Future

• Ministry of Human Resource Development under the Kabil Sibal Cabinet consider the closure of UGC and all the related bodies in 2009.


• The decision favoured the creation of a higher regulatory body that shall be equipped with more sweeping powers.


• The (HE&R) Higher Education and Research Bill, 2011 was formed with the intention to replace the UGC with National Commission for Higher Education & Research (NCHER).


• The bill proposes the absorption of UGC and other academic agencies into the new organisation.


• UGC tries to bring state-of-the-art technology to its colleges. With the help of BSNL, UGC has managed to launch UGC-Info net to connect all approved colleges on a single platform. The initiative helps the students from different colleges interact and exchange point of views.

All the above-stated information is necessary for students to know. Whenever a candidate applies for any higher education or any exam conducted by UGC, one must check that the college is approved by UGC. It is advised to take up admissions only in UGC approved college. If a college is not UGC listed, the degree provided by the same will not have much value.