UGC issues minimum mandatory disclosure guidelines for Universities, HEIs

In a move to bring in transparency and ensure information is readily available for the different stakeholders, the UGC has come out with a minimum mandatory disclosure for universities and HEIs on their respective websites

Hyderabad: Henceforth, the universities and Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) have to mandatorily disclose admissions and fee structure besides detailing information under 10 other categories on their respective websites.

In a move to bring in transparency and ensure information is readily available for the different stakeholders, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has come out with a minimum mandatory disclosure for universities and HEIs on their respective websites.

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“We have found that the websites of several universities lack not only in providing basic minimum information related to their university, but also at many times their websites are not functional and updated. This causes lot of inconveniences and uncertainty to the stakeholders,” UGC Chairman Prof. M Jagadesh Kumar said on Wednesday.

The admission and fee includes prospectus, admissions, admission guidelines for internal students, fee structure for various programmes and fee refund policy.

The universities and HEIs, according to the UGC, must make available information related to their academic programmes, academic calendar, schools, department or centres, departments, school or centre-wise faculty details along with photographs and library information on the website.

The HEIs and universities are also required to furnish details of research and development cell, publications, patents, foreign collaboration, and industry partnership. For the benefit of students, the universities must make available the hostel information, fellowship, academic bank of credits, Digi locker NAD portal and national scholarship portal links on the respective websites.

“When we are celebrating the third year of National Education Policy 2020, it will be prudent to desire from the universities to provide basic minimum information and updated content on their website. We have prepared a check list of the information to be provided by the universities on their websites,” Prof. Jagadesh Kumar said.

The information on HEIs/universities website should also include about the institution, administration along with profiles, campus harmony and wellbeing, alumni, information corner, picture gallery and contact information. The checklist for mandatory disclosure will be made public by the Commission seeking feedback from the stakeholders.