Thu Apr 10 06:11:35 UTC 2025: ## Outgoing UGC Chairman Highlights Student-Centric Initiatives Amidst Controversy

**New Delhi, April 10, 2025** – Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, the outgoing Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), concluded his three-year tenure on Monday. In an interview with *The Hindu*, he defended his often-controversial initiatives as deeply student-centric, emphasizing his commitment to improving access and equity in higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Kumar, who previously served as Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), oversaw the introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions. While the CUET aimed to promote fairness and transparency, it faced criticism from student organizations and opposition parties, concerns echoed by a Parliamentary Standing Committee report that recommended a review of the exam’s design. Similar protests greeted other initiatives, including draft guidelines for faculty and Vice Chancellor appointments and a draft regulation on reservation criteria, which was subsequently withdrawn.

Despite the controversies, Kumar highlighted several key achievements aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. These included the implementation of the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC), the National Credit Framework (NCrF), the Multiple Entry-Exit System, and the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), all designed to enhance student flexibility and learning opportunities. He also cited the successful implementation of the Malaviya Mission Teaching Training Programme (MMTTP) to improve faculty quality as a positive outcome.

Other notable initiatives under Kumar’s leadership include guidelines for transforming higher educational institutions into multidisciplinary settings, promoting human values and professional ethics, and incorporating skill-based education. The establishment of an ombudsperson in higher education institutions to address student grievances was also a key focus. Furthermore, Kumar championed the “Professor of Practice” (PoP) position, aiming to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Finally, his tenure saw the introduction of regulations facilitating the establishment of campuses by top-ranked foreign universities in India.

While acknowledging the challenges in promoting the use of regional languages in higher education, Kumar stressed the UGC’s efforts to encourage multilingual pedagogies and support the creation of academic content in Indian languages, aligning with the government’s Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Yojana. He acknowledged that fully realizing this vision remains a long-term undertaking. Despite the controversies, Kumar maintained his focus remained consistently on creating a more inclusive and equitable higher education system for all students.

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