UGC Full Form

by Yogi P - August 23, 2023

What is the full form of the UGC?

The full form UGC is University Grants Commission.

What is UGC stands for?

UGC stands for University Grants Commission. It’s an initiative under the Indian Union Government established as per the UGC Act of 1956. Operating under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, it’s closely associated with higher education in India.

What does UGC do?

The UGC’s mission is to maintain, evaluate, and uplift the education standards across the country. It recognizes and endorses colleges and universities under its banner and manages funding for them. The main office of the UGC is situated in New Delhi, with regional offices in cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Guwahati, Bhopal, and Pune.

A Glimpse into UGC’s History:

• Initially, in 1945, the UGC was formed to oversee the operations of three significant Indian universities: Delhi, Banaras, and Aligarh.
• By 1947, its responsibilities widened to include all universities across India.
• The University Education Commission, chaired by S. Radhakrishnan, was set up between 1948 and 1949. Its primary purpose was to study and recommend improvements and expansions for Indian University Education.
• Drawing inspiration from the United Kingdom’s University Grants Committee, they released a report in August 1949 suggesting the reconstruction of the University Grants board in India.
• In 1950, it was decided by the Indian government that the UGC would be responsible for specific university grants and higher education institutions.
• Finally, the commission came into its full form on 28 December 1953, inaugurated by Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, then the Minister of Education, Natural Resources & Scientific Research.

UGC’s Key Responsibilities:

1. Facilitating communication between the State, Union Governments, and various higher education bodies.
2. Monitoring the rapid growth of college and university education in the country.
3. Setting examination standards, such as CSIR NET, UGC Net, and ICAR NET.
4. Proposing essential educational requirements.
5. Advising the Central and State Governments on necessary improvements in universities and higher education institutions.

Authenticated resource of this informations: Official website of University Grants Commission at https://www.ugc.gov.in/