The University Grants Commission of India (UGC India) is a statutory body set up by the Indian Union government in accordance to the UGC Act 1956 under Ministry of Human Resource Development, and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education.
It provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognised universities and colleges.
Its headquarters is in New Delhi, and six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.
UGC is modelled after University Grants Committee of UK which was an advisory committee of the British government and advised on the distribution of grant funding amongst the British universities.
The committee was in existence from 1919 until 1989.
On 27 June 2018, the Ministry of Human Resource Development announced its plans to repeal the UGC Act, 1956. A bill is expected to be introduced in the 2018 monsoon session of the Parliament, which if passed will lead to the dissolution of the UGC. The bill also stipulates formation of a new body, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).
The UGC was first formed in 1945 to oversee the work of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras and Delhi. Its responsibility was extended in 1947 to cover all Indian universities.
The National Assessment and Accrediation Council (NAAC) is an organisation that assesses and accredits higher education Institutions (HEIs) in India.
It is an autonomous body funded by University Grants Commission of Government of India headquartered in Bangalore.
