JOIN USNCERT soon to get powers to grant degrees
The Centre has proposed to give degree granting powers to the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
In a draft bill, it has also proposed to declare the council as an “institution of national importance” for promoting quality in research and training in the field of education.
“The council shall have the power to grant degrees, diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions under this act, which shall be equivalent to such corresponding degrees, diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions granted by any university or council established or incorporated under any other law for the time being in force,” draft of the NCERT Bill, 2017, stipulates.
The council, which currently functions under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), was set up by the government in 1961 as an organisation under the Registration of Societies Act to assist and advise the central and state governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school education.
According to the bill, the HRD minister will head the NCERT as its ex-officio president while the HRD ministry’s school education department secretary, the University Grant Commission chairman (UGC), the Central Board of Secondary Education chairman and the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan commissioner will be its ex-officio members.
The administration of the states and Union Territories will be represented by their education ministers as ex-offico members of the council.The HRD minister will also head the executive committee as its ex-officio president. The executive committee will function as the governing body of the council.
The minister of state for HRD will be its ex-officio vice president while the ministry’s school education department secretary and the UGC chairman will be its ex officio members.
Four vice chancellors
The council will have four vice chancellors, who will be nominated by the Centre, as its ex-officio members. The National Institute of Education, New Delhi; Central Institute of Educational Technology, New Delhi; Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education, Bhopal; Regional Institute of Education, Ajmer; Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal; Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar; Regional Institute of Education, Mysore, and North East Regional Institute of Education, Shillong are the major constituent units of the NCERT.