NCERT To Be Granted Deemed University Status: What Are Those Changes

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been officially granted deemed university status, marking a major shift in its role in India's education system. This move was confirmed by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during an event as part of NCERT's foundation day celebrations.

Under this new designation, NCERT transitions from its longstanding role as a curriculum- and textbook-setting body to an institution with full academic powers similar to a university. This change will allow NCERT to expand its functions significantly, including offering its own academic degrees.

What the Change Means
With the deemed university status, NCERT will be able to:

• Award its own degrees at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels.

• Design and conduct academic programmes independently, including specialized courses in education and related research areas.
• Develop advanced research centres focusing on education policy, teacher training, pedagogy, and emerging educational practices.

• Collaborate internationally with other universities on research and academic exchange.

This represents a fundamental shift from NCERT's earlier mandate, which focused primarily on creating school curricula, textbooks, and guiding educational research under the Ministry of Education.

Why This Change Matters
NCERT has been central to shaping school education in India for decades - from setting the National Curriculum Framework to preparing textbooks used by CBSE and many state boards. With deemed university status:

• It gains academic autonomy similar to other higher education institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

• The institution can now offer degrees, expanding its role from policy and materials development to higher education and research.

• It is expected to strengthen teacher education, educational research, and leadership development at national and international levels.

This move aligns with the government's broader focus on enhancing research and higher education capacity in the education sector through institutional reform.

What Happens Next
Although the status has been granted, NCERT will now complete remaining administrative formalities to function fully as a deemed university. The organization will begin preparations to introduce academic programmes, build research infrastructure, and frame admission processes for the new offerings in future academic sessions.

NCERT's transition to a deemed university is being viewed as a step toward strengthening India's education research ecosystem, potentially producing future teachers, policymakers, and educational researchers from within the institution that helped shape India's school education framework.