UGC addresses students’ grievances; acts on fake claims of institutes

In an effort to curb false claims made by institutes to lure students, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has laid down new rules. Addressing students’ grievances, the apex body has released UGC (Grievance Redressal ) Regulations 2012 under the UGC Act (1956) in April.

As per the document, every university and institute recognised by UGC or under a Central/State act, will have to make a mandatory disclosure of all its pricing/fee structure,  other deposits, number of seats, eligibility conditions, infrastructure, qualification and experience of teachers (also mentioning if they are permanent or visiting) in the prospectus.

Furthermore, the institutes will now have to write down the “rules and discipline in and outside the campus” to help curb problems. Each college will have to now form a students’ grievances committee and every university has to appoint an ombudsman for ‘redressal of grievances of students’. The ombudsman has to a judge (not below the rank of a District Jugde) or a retired professor with 10 years’ experience.

The move aims to curb malpractices at hundreds of higher education institutions which thrive on donations and exorbitant fee illegally without even having basic infrastructure and qualified teachers.

A circular on the changes has been forwarded to the universities. For more details read http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/0588502_English.pdf