University Grants Commission asks universities to send academic data

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities from across the country to send academic data. This initiation is to make various policy decisions in higher education. The Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) has asked for information on the teaching and non-teaching staff to be submitted at the earliest.

Arjun Rajage, Board of Colleges and University Development (BCUD) director, said, "We asked all 281 affiliated colleges across the Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts of the Maharashtra state, to produce the information on or before October 16 in hard copy and soft copy versions to the university. "

The information will provide details regarding academic status in universities across the country, which will be used to make policy decisions, regarding fund allocations and other such matters.

The UGC also wants information regarding the number of teaching and non-teaching positions in a university, number of class I-IV positions, total number of sanctioned positions, total number of existing vacant positions and number of employees with disabilities.

Rajage added that the MHRD is acquiring academic details through several other programmes as well. One of them is the 'All India survey on Higher education' (AISHE). "We have also invited details for AISHE. Over 200 colleges have filled in the required details, which have been submitted to the MHRD. Details about this will soon be released," he said.

The AISHE covers information on enrolment at various levels, human resources, infrastructure, income and the expenditure for all types of institutions engaged in higher education, which may include arts, science, agriculture, teacher education, management, and engineering including polytechnics, medical and nursing.