UGC needs to be independent entity for greater role
Experts advocate the idea
UNB
The University Grants Commission (UGC), the apex body that oversees the countrys universities, wants to be an independent organisation so that it can play a greater role in developing and spreading higher education, reports UNB. In its recently published annual report 2014, it has recommended making it an independent body arguing that the UGC in Bangladesh is the weakest of its kind among such bodies of the Southeast Asian countries. Noting that the context of 1973 when the UGC was established and the situation of 2015 are not the same, the UGC report said, Its essential for taking necessary steps to expand and empower the body for ensuring the overall supervision of the countrys universities.
The report further said, Its the demand of the time to make the University Grants Commission an independent organisation for the spread and development of higher education. Former Chairman of UGC Prof Nazrul Islam said the government can consider its recommendation for making it an independent body for expanding its jurisdiction over more than 100 public and private universities. Once the UGC used to supervise only a handful of public universities and grant allocation for those, but now it oversees 88 private universities without granting money for them. In this circumstance, the government should either form a higher education commission or upgrade UGC a time-befitting body keeping in mind its present activities, he said.
Former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof AK Azad Chowdhury said making the UGC an independent body to strengthen its authority for taking decisions for the betterment of the countrys universities.
Now the UGC has the authority only to recommend the Education Ministry to cancel the approval of any university. If it becomes an independent body, itll have authority to take actions against universities for any irregularity, said Azad Chowdhury, also a former chairman of the UGC.
UGC Chairman Prof MA Mannan told UNB the recommendation was made from the Commission to strengthen its authority and jurisdiction.
If the recommendation is implemented, the Education Ministry will get rid of its present overload, he said.
Making the UGC an independent body will help solve many problems the countrys higher education facing, he said.
Referring to UGCs manpower shortage, he said, With the existing staff, we cant inspect more than one or two universities a week. Once the Commission emerges as an independent body, I hope, its capacity as well as logistics will increase.
