The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is all set to get the ‘Deemed-to-be-University’ status with the Executive Committee (EC) of the council granting an approval on Monday.
“NCERT will get the deemed-to-be-university status in De Novo category. The proposal has been approved,” the official confirmed. The Council’s Executive Committee’s meeting was chaired by the Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
De-Novo Deemed University is an institution which can apply to the UGC for setting up a new institution as deemed to be University which will undertake study and research in unique and emerging areas of knowledge that are not offered by any existing institution. According to the proposal on the agenda, ‘Deemed-to-be-university’ status would allow NCERT to offer its own graduate, post-graduate and doctoral degrees and have autonomy in terms of introduction of programmes, course structure, conducting examinations and management, among others.
As the primary authority for school education, the NCERT undertakes various activities and programmes, which include educational research and innovation, curriculum development, development of textual and teaching-learning materials, among others. The degree awarding bodies for the graduate and postgraduate programmes offered by the regional institutes of education of NCERT are affiliated with the different State Universities and one Central University (NEHU).
An official stated, “The status of Deemed to be University will strengthen the efforts of NCERT to promote educational research and innovation and collaborate with national and international agencies. It will further reinforce its role as a think tank and as national resource institution engaged in providing technical support to the Government of India and various State Governments in the fields of school education, vocational education, teacher education and educational technology.”
