PANAJI
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a directive to heads of all higher education institutions to follow the “Guidelines on Public Self-Disclosure by Higher Education Institutions, 2024” in line with the principles outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The UGC cited that NEP 2020 emphasizes transparent self-disclosure as a fundamental principle to ensure these institutions are accountable to stakeholders by providing transparent access to relevant records.
“The availability of information in the public domain is an important source of accountability. Stakeholders in the higher education system, such as students, parents, research scholars, prospective students, regulatory bodies, accreditation agencies, alumni and the public, seek information from the respective institutions’ websites. Hence, the self-disclosure will be relevant,” an official said.
The UGC had approved comprehensive guidelines during its 580th meeting held on May 15 followed by the order on June 10.
“As per the guidelines, all higher education institutions are required to maintain a functional website to provide relevant information to stakeholders. The information disclosed on the website should be easily accessible to everyone without any need for registration or login. Additionally, there should be a ‘search’ facility available for easy navigation,” reads the order signed by Secretary of the Ministry of Education Manish Joshi.
The ministry had last year decided to release guidelines wherein universities and higher secondary institutions mandatorily upload a set of ‘minimum mandatory disclosures’ on their respective websites covering different aspects, including institution details, administration profiles, academic programmes, admission guidelines, research activities, student support services, campus well-being, and alumni associations.
This would enable many institutions to not only provide the essential information but also remain functional and make updates.
