There is not a single Indian educational institution in the top 20 world class ones, according to a reply by the government in the Rajya Sabha. The reply was prepared on the basis of rankings by various global agencies.

Minister of State for Human Resource Ministry, Mahendra Nath Pandey said in his written reply to a Rajya Sabha question today. The issue of quality of higher education was raised in the Upper House and questions were asked by the members.

The HRD (MoS) Pandey also spelled out the steps being taken by the central government to increase the quality of higher education. Pandey emphasised that technical education was being regulated by the government to make more effective.

In order to ensure quality education to be imparted in All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approved institutions, it has set norms and standards to regulate the technical education by way of grant of approval for conducting courses and renewal of the same, the minister told the Rajya Sabha.

WHAT IS BEING DONE?

In consonance with the provision of the University Grant Commission(UGC) (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulations, 2003, the UGC has already conducted on the spot inspection of 159 out of 278 private universities to assess whether these are fulfilling the minimum criteria in terms of programmes, faculty, infrastructural facilities, financial viability, etc, as laid down from time to time by the UGC and other concerned statutory bodies or councils, the government's written reply reads.

"The recommendations made by visiting UGC committee are placed before the Commission to take final decision in the matter. As such, UGC is taking all the necessary steps to ensure quality of education in Universities," said Pandey.

Pandey also said that loans and bonds are being made available to institutions of higher education for improving infrastructure. The Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) has been set up with an initial capital base of Rs 300 crores to increase investments in the infrastructure of higher educational institutions, Pandey said.

The HEFA will mobilise debt and bond funds from the market to finance improvement in infrastructure and research facilities in the higher educational institutions. The loans would be serviced through the internal accruals of the institutions, Pandey said.

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