'Need to ensure better access, affordability of education’

University Grants Commission chairman M Jagadesh Kumar discusses a range of issues on the state of higher education in the 13th edition of Delhi Dialogues

- 

UNIVERSITY Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar is an academic, administrator, and author. A professor of Electrical Engineering at IIT-Delhi, he came to prominence during his six-year tenure as the 12th Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. He fielded a range of questions about the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the budget slash for UGC, the de-reservation debate and the interpretation of history. Excerpts:

SHAHID FARIDI: The allocation for UGC has been slashed by over 50%, and allocation for education has also been cut. The government has been promoting move for selffunding of public educational institutions, foreign universities are also being allowed to establish campuses in India, in such a scenario of increasing privatisation and education becoming expensive, how does the government plan to ensure equal access to quality education for weaker sections of the Indian society?

Your observation is that UGC funding has been cut. But overall, funding for education shows an increase of 6.8% this year as compared to last year. Out of that for higher education, it is ₹47,600 crore, which is 7.4% more as compared to the last year. We have to ensure that there is better access, equity, and affordability of education. As far as state universities are concerned, whether it is private or state-funded, UGC doesn't come into the picture other than coordinating, and maintaining the standards. But as far as 54 Central universities are concerned, education is accessible in the sense that the tuition fees are minimal.

SANTWANA BHATTACHARYA: What is the time frame for the implementation of NEP 2020 in the face of some criticism about this policy?