New Delhi: Yashpal Committee, headed by prominent scientist Yashpal, has recommended the removal of University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Council for Teacher Education (NCERT) and Distance Education Council (DEC). The Yashpal committee was formed in a view to suggest measures for ‘renovation and rejuvenation’ of higher education in India.
The Committee suggests that instead of all regulatory bodies, a seven member Commission for Higher Education and Research (CHER) under an Act of Parliament should be set up to govern the higher education in the country. The proposed CHER would have a Chairperson and members would be selected by a committee headed by the PM, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. Moreover, the proposed Commission would comprise of five divisions dealing with future directions, accreditation management, funding and development and new institutions. An eminent individual will head each division for five years.
The committee report also suggests that IITs and IIMs should also be turned into full-fledged universities. A national test on the line of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) should be introduced for higher education in the country. This would be open to all aspirants and would be conducted for more than once a year. Further, it suggests that jurisdiction of Medical Council of India (MCI), Bar Council of India (BCI) and others need to be restricted to administrative work only. Their academic responsibilities need to administed by universities.
According to the Committee the teachers should have the freedom to recommend curricular modification, design courses and the students should be able to study subjects outside their courses. The report is likely to be submitted on Wednesday to Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.
