New Delhi: University Grants Commission (UGC) has raised opposition in the setting up of new regulatory body National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER). During a crucial meeting of HRD ministry’s task force on the proposed NCHER with regulators like University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education and National Council for Teacher Education, UGC employees has asked the Chairman, Sukhdeo Thorat, to oppose the setting up of the new body.
As per sources, in a note to Mr Thorat, the employees pointed out that the proposed NCHER would hardly be different from the UGC. Further, the mission and objective of the NCHER draft bill are more or less similar to the functions of the UGC. Therefore, one fails to understand the justification for the creation of a new body NCHER. In this backdrop, it is highly insulting and demoralizing for the UGC employees that a new body is coming up with its mandate being similar to that of UGC.
Further, it is essential to point out that Thorat as a member of the Yashpal Committee, which recommended setting up of NCHER had agreed with the recommendation. However, much later, he sent UGC’s view incompatible with the recommendation. UGC employees also told Thorat that in case the new body comes up, they should be automatically shifted to the new body as the nature of work will be similar to that of UGC.
