Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Ends without means: On UGC reforms and higher education

Ends without means: On UGC reforms and higher education

While the goals of UGC reforms are clear, they need to be backed by resources

The Draft UGC (Minimum Standards of Instruction for the Grant of Undergraduate Degree and Postgraduate Degree) Regulations, 2024 propose significant changes to India’s higher education landscape. These include bi-annual admissions to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses, enabling students from any stream to pursue any discipline in UG and PG if they pass a relevant national qualifying examination, and allowing for the extension or acceleration (त्वरण) of courses. Students can pursue (पीछा करना) multiple degrees simultaneously. Higher educational institutions will have the autonomy (स्वायत्तता, आत्मनिर्णय) to determine student attendance requirements. According to the UGC Chairman, M. Jagadesh Kumar, these changes will remove rigidity (कठोरता, अकड़), ensuring that global standards are met. While the intent is laudable (प्रशंसनीय), one provision further centralises examinations as a qualifying criterion, which may limit flexibility (लचीलापन). The draft rules align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises hybrid learning models and skill-based education. The draft rules also support the implementation of the National Credit Framework, providing students greater academic flexibility.

However, while the goals of these reforms are clear, the question is whether there are resources to implement such sweeping (To clean or move something in a wide motion; to cover a large area) changes. Hurdles (बाधा, अड़चन) exist as systemic issues such as insufficient faculty strength, underfunded institutions, and a lack of adequately trained or motivated teachers. Moreover, the regulatory framework, such as on class strength requirements, governing affiliated colleges where a majority of the students study, is ill-equipped to support these new rules that may be implemented more easily in autonomous institutions. Since education is on the concurrent list, State governments often show initial compliance with new regulations only to backtrack (पीछे हटना). The inertia within academic bodies and administrative procedures further complicates (जटिल बनाना, कठिन बनाना) the effective adoption of changes such as the ‘academic bank of credits’. This initiative allows students to register at one institution, take courses from another, and complete apprenticeships in a company, with the degree being awarded by the first institution. While such flexibility is groundbreaking, it faces considerable resistance (प्रतिरोध) from traditional academic structures. Moreover, the success of these reforms hinges (निर्भर करना) on a substantial increase in investment in education. Unfortunately, this year’s Budget allocates 15% less funding to higher education compared to the previous year’s revised estimates. While the draft UGC rules offer a promising vision, their success will depend on addressing existing systemic challenges and ensuring that there are adequate resources in place.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Acceleration (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - त्वरण
English Meaning - The act of increasing speed or progress.

2.Pursue (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पीछा करना
English Meaning - To follow or chase something in order to achieve or catch it.

3.Autonomy (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्वायत्तता, आत्मनिर्णय
English Meaning - Independence or self-governance.

4.Rigidity (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - कठोरता, अकड़
English Meaning - Inflexibility or strictness.

5.Laudable (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशंसनीय
English Meaning - Deserving praise or commendation.

6.Backtrack (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पीछे हटना
English Meaning - To go back over the same route or to reverse one's earlier actions, opinions, or decisions.

7.Flexibility (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - लचीलापन
English Meaning - The quality of bending easily without breaking.

8.Hurdle (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - बाधा, अड़चन
English Meaning - An obstacle or difficulty.

9.Complicate (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - जटिल बनाना, कठिन बनाना
English Meaning - To make something more difficult or intricate.

10.Resistance (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिरोध
English Meaning - The act of opposing or standing against something.

11.Hinge (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - निर्भर करना
English Meaning - A point or factor on which something depends; a joint that allows a door to move.

12.Sweep (Verb)

English Meaning - To clean or move something in a wide motion; to cover a large area.