The University Grants Commission (UGC) was established as an autonomous and statutory institution under the University Grants Commission Act (1993) to promote, facilitate, support, and enhance the quality of higher education in Nepal, allowing educational institutions to meet the country's need for educated workers. The UGC was established as one of the consequences of the political upheavals in the early 1990s to fulfill the people's expectations for revolutionary and qualitative improvements in higher education to aid the nation's overall growth.
Objectives
- to promote, facilitate, support, and enhance the quality of higher education,
- to enable educational institutions to meet the national need for an educated and trained workforce,
- to develop Nepali academia as per the global standard,
- to solve problems and face challenges that have been historically impairing the development and quality of higher education in the country, and
- to make higher education inclusive and accessible to disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
Functions
- Formulate policies for allocating government grants to universities and higher education institutions;
- Disburse grants to universities and colleges, and make recommendations to the government for revising the provision of grants;
- Award grants for research, scholarships, and fellowships;
- Take necessary measures to maintain the standards of higher education;
- Advise the government on matters concerning the establishment of new universities, or the operation of an institution of higher education with an affiliation to foreign universities/ institutions;
- Make necessary arrangements for the exchange of resources, funds, and fellowships between universities and educational institutions within and outside Nepal.
Salient Features
Composition of the Commission
The University Grants Commission is made up of eleven members. Except for ex officio members, all members are appointed by the Nepal government. The Chairman and Member-Secretary of the Commission are full-time office bearers. The Ministry of Education Secretary, the Ministry of Finance Secretary, a member of the National Planning Commission, two Vice-chancellors, two renowned Educationists, and two notable Professors are among the nine members.
| Members | Designation |
| GoN appointed prominent Educationist | Chairman |
| GoN appointed two Vice-Chancellors | Member |
| A member of the National Planning Commision | Member |
| Secretary of the Ministry of Education | Member |
| Secretary of the Ministry of Finance | Member |
| GoN appointed two prominent Educationists | Member |
| GoN appointed two prominent personalities who had highly contributed in Higher Education | Member |
| GoN appointed prominent Educationist | Member-secretary |
Organizational Structure
The UGC's governing body (the Board) is made up of eleven members, led by the Executive Chairman. The government either nominates office bearers or invites them to serve as ex-officio members. The Council of Ministers appoints the Executive Chairman and Executive Member Secretary of the commission from among academic leaders and prominent professors, based on the Ministry of Education's proposal. Ex-officio members include the secretaries of the Ministries of Education and Finance, as well as a member of the National Planning Commission (Social Sector/Education Desk). One Vice-Chancellor is generally from Tribhuvan University, while the other comes from a separate university.
Members, including the Chairman and Member-Secretary, have a four-year term from the date of their appointment; however, they can be reappointed. UGC initially established four departments to carry out its tasks and responsibilities: Administration, Finance, Planning, and Monitoring. UGC introduced the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Division, Research Division, HEMIS Section, and Reform Unit at the start of the Second Higher Education Project in 2007. Furthermore, the UGC periodically creates numerous committees and task-force units to carry out and perform specific obligations.
UGC has the following committees:
- University Coordination Committee
- Higher Education Reforms Project Steering Committee
- Quality Assurance and Accreditation Committee
- Research Evaluation Committee
- Quality Assurance and Accreditation Technical Committee
- Academic Committee.
