UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar announced that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with facilities for persons with disabilities would receive additional weightage during the accreditation process. This decision emerged from an inter-regulatory authority meeting hosted by the UGC to assess the effective and timely implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

In this meeting, 13 regulatory authorities in various education domains decided to issue an advisory to HEIs, encouraging them to seek UGC recognition and establish monitoring committees to address issues related to deemed-to-be and private universities.

The UGC Chairman highlighted the importance of aligning faculty selection or promotion guidelines with UGC regulations to prevent inconsistencies. HEIs offering facilities for persons with disabilities will now receive added consideration based on Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) guidelines in the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation criteria.

The regulatory authorities, including the National Medical Council, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, and others, will also write to associated industrial organizations, urging them to nominate industry professionals on the UGC’s professor of practice portal.

Additionally, the regulators committed to leveraging the synergy of all regulatory bodies to enhance online education and emphasized the effective use of technology in teaching-learning. UGC Chairman Kumar stressed the inclusion of a module on the Indian knowledge system in all disciplines and encouraged faculty participation in capacity-building programs organized by Malviya Mission Centres.

To enhance transparency and align with NEP goals, HEIs are advised to share information on the UGC UTSAH portal regarding initiatives taken under the NEP, receiving guidance from their respective regulators. This collective effort aims to streamline and improve the higher education landscape in India.

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