Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) offering facilities for persons with disabilities would receive added consideration during the accreditation process. Additionally, thirteen regulatory authorities across various education sectors agreed to issue advisories to HEIs to seek recognition from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and establish monitoring committees to address issues concerning deemed-to-be and private universities, M Jagadesh Kumar, chairman, UGC, announced.
This decision emerged from an inter-regulatory authority meeting convened by the UGC to evaluate the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s effective and timely implementation. Kumar specified that the NAAC accreditation criteria would include weightage for universities or institutions providing facilities in accordance with Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) guidelines. To ensure consistency, all regulators will review faculty selection or promotion guidelines and align them with UGC regulations, according to an official statement.
Furthermore, the regulators, including bodies like the National Medical Council and All India Council for Technical Education, agreed to engage industrial organisations in nominating professionals for registration on the UGC’s professor of practice portal. They also committed to leveraging the collective expertise of all regulators in the evolving online education landscape, as per the statement.
Kumar emphasised the strategic use of technology in teaching and learning, as well as the integration of modules on the Indian knowledge system across disciplines. The regulators resolved to promote faculty participation in capacity building programs organised by Malviya Mission Centers, aimed at aligning faculty guidelines with UGC regulations, the statement mentioned.
Additionally, HEIs will receive guidance from their respective regulators to provide information on initiatives undertaken under the NEP through the UGC UTSAH portal.
With inputs from PTI.