Mon Apr 07 17:27:35 UTC 2025: ## UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar Retires After Implementing Sweeping Higher Education Reforms
**NEW DELHI** – Professor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar has officially retired as Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) after a transformative tenure that began in February 2022. The UGC issued a statement praising Kumar for his “unprecedented student-centric reforms and far-reaching institutional changes” during his leadership. His time at the helm saw significant reshaping of India’s higher education landscape.
Kumar, who hails from Mamidala village in Telangana, holds an MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras and conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Waterloo. Prior to his role at the UGC, he served as the Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) from 2016 to 2022 and held various key positions at IIT Delhi, including the NXP Chair Professorship. A prolific researcher in nano-electronics, he has authored three books, four book chapters, and over 250 publications.
The UGC expressed its gratitude and best wishes for Kumar’s future endeavors, highlighting his dedication to academia and his ability to connect with diverse individuals. He is expected to return to his position on lien at IIT Delhi.
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