Dhirendra Pal Singh assumes charge as UGC chairman

Dhirendra Pal Singh on Monday assumed charge as the chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Soon after taking charge, Singh held meetings with the officers and staff of UGC, where he called for "a transparent, effective and efficient work culture".

"Singh emphasised self-regulation, discipline and value-based objective," the UGC said in a press statement. He also called for "more intellectual activities" in the UGC.

"He urged the officers to steer the UGC as an academic organisation, to act as a motivator, facilitator and a catalyst for its stakeholders," UGC secretray P K Thakur said.

Singh was serving as the director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared Singh's name for the post of UGC chairman on December 22 last year.

The post was lying vacant since Ved Prakash completed his term in April, 2017.