The University Grants Commission Chairman, Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, who superannuated from the top academic post on Monday, maintains that he pursued student-centric initiatives in the three years he spent at the helm of country’s higher education regulator. During his tumultuous innings at the UGC, soon after an equally unquiet tenure as the Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, he brought in steps such as the introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions and most recently, draft guidelines for the appointment of faculties and Vice Chancellors at universities recognised by the UGC.
A report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, citing the example of JNU entrance examination, had recommended review of the quality of question paper and the design of the CUET exam to ensure that it meets the purpose envisaged in National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Like in JNU, he had to face protests from students’ organisations and opposition parties over several of his initiatives. He, however, is unfaced.
Talking to The Hindu, Prof. Kumar, said any initiatives he pursued as the UGC Chairman were deeply student-centric. “Coming from a small village and my father, who had a monthly salary of ₹70 as a school teacher, I have lived through the challenges that countless students from rural backgrounds and weaker sections face. That experience shaped my understanding and conviction that the reforms must work for the most disadvantaged, not just the privileged few. Whether it was implementing CUET to ensure fairness in admissions, promoting education in Indian languages, or integrating skill-based learning to enhance employability, my efforts have consistently aimed to make the system more inclusive, empowering, and attuned to the real needs of students,” Prof. Kumar said.
For him, the most fulfilling work was implementing key components of the NEP. “It involved creating awareness among the academic community and the institutional leaders and taking them on board by involving them in providing feedback and suggestions. Initiatives such as the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), the National Credit Framework (NCrF), the Multiple Entry-Exit System, and the introduction of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) have provided students with greater flexibility and interdisciplinary learning opportunities,” the former IIT Delhi professor said.
On the implementation of the NEP too, he had to face criticism, particularly on the issue of funding the State governments. The Parliament panel noted that NEP compliance requires substantial costs on several heads and the expenditure for this compliance is borne by States even as the goals are set by the Union Government. He had to face criticism on a draft regulation on implementing reservation criteria in higher education institutions. The UGC had to withdraw the provision in the draft on filling unfulfilled posts for reserved categories from general candidates after protests.
Encouraging flexibility and links with industry
When asked about his most challenging task as UGC Chairman, Prof Kumar says: “One of the most challenging yet rewarding tasks was the introduction of the CUET for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions. CUET has enhanced fairness and transparency in the admissions process. CUET has ensured that students from metros or small towns have equitable opportunities,” he says adding that the implementation of the Malaviya Mission Teaching Training Programme (MMTTP) to create motivated, energised, and capable faculty was also an encouraging experience.
Some guidelines issued by the UGC during his tenure include Guidelines for Transforming Higher Educational Institutions into Multidisciplinary Institutions, Inculcation of Human Values and Professional Ethics, Curriculum Framework and Credit System for Life Skills, Guidelines for Accelerated and Decelerated Degree Programmes and Guidelines on Incorporating Skill-Based Education and Micro/Nano Credentials.
The UGC also introduced regulations mandating the appointment of an ombudsperson in higher education institutions. “This regulation is an important step in safeguarding student interests. An ombudsperson serves as an impartial authority dedicated to addressing student grievances. These regulations contribute significantly to creating a more supportive and responsive educational environment by providing students with a reliable avenue to voice their issues,” says Prof. Kumar.
Introduction of the UGC’s Professor of Practice (PoP) position was another pet reform of Prof. Kumar. “For decades, Indian academia and industry have operated in parallel lanes. The PoP initiative brings them together. By allowing institutions to appoint accomplished professionals without conventional academic qualifications, the PoP framework opens the door for experts from diverse fields—technology, public policy, arts, healthcare, law, entrepreneurship—to enrich classrooms with real-world insight,” he said.
The introduction of the University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, issued in 2023, facilitated the establishment of campuses by top-ranked foreign universities in India.
Prof. Kumar has a different view on the controversies over languages. “During my tenure, UGC actively encouraged academic content creation in regional languages, supported bilingual pedagogies, and initiated steps to train faculty accordingly. The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Yojana, announced in the Union Budget, reinforces this vision by enabling the publication of quality textbooks in Indian languages, especially in technical and professional domains. However, executing this vision — building translation ecosystems, incentivizing authorship, and integrating multilingual content into the mainstream — remains a complex and long-term task,” he says.
Published - April 10, 2025 11:41 am IST
