New Delhi, April 4 – IPU Media Update News : The Union Ministry of Education has granted “Deemed University” status to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). With this status, NCERT will henceforth possess the authority to independently award undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees, as well as offer new academic courses. This decision is expected to help bridge the gap between school education and higher-level research. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had already approved the recommendations made by an expert committee to grant Deemed University status to NCERT back in January of this year. Furthermore, in addition to NCERT, the Union Ministry of Education has extended this ‘Deemed’ status to six other affiliated regional institutions.

★ Key Details :

☛ Status : Acting on the advice of the University Grants Commission (UGC), NCERT has been accorded the status of a “Deemed-to-be-University” (Deemed University).

☛ Affiliated Institutions : Along with NCERT, this status has also been granted to the ‘Regional Institutes of Education’ (RIE) located in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysore, and Shillong, as well as to the ‘Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education’ in Bhopal.

☛ Benefits : There will now be a broader scope to focus on research, innovative educational programs, and teacher training.

☛ NEP 2020 : This change has been implemented in accordance with the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

★ The NCERT is an autonomous organization established in 1961. Its primary responsibilities include the design of textbooks and the enhancement of the quality of school education. Now that it has been accorded the status of a ‘Deemed University,’ it is poised to play a pivotal role in the field of educational research.

— M. Venkata T. Reddy