NEW DELHI: With many varsities not providing even basic minimum information about the institution on their websites, the UGC will direct them to not only give updates about the admission process and fee structure but also student support services, internal complaint committee and anti-ragging helpline.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar said they have found that the websites of several universities lack not only basic minimum information related to their university but also, at times, the websites are not functional and updated.
This causes a lot of inconveniences and uncertainty to the stakeholders, he said.
“At this defining moment when we are celebrating the third year of National Education Policy 2020, it would be prudent to request the universities to provide basic minimum information and updated content on their websites,” he said.
Kumar said the UGC would be sharing a checklist with all the varsities about the information that needs to be displayed on their official websites.
These minimum mandatory disclosures would also include the varsity institutional development plan, annual reports, accreditation, details of officials with photographs, academic programmes, departments and fee refund policy.
The varsities must also upload information about its research and development cell, publications, patents, foreign and industry collaborations and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
They must also display details on student support services like hostel facilities, fellowships/scholarships, Academic Bank of Credits, Digi Locker NAD Portal and National Scholarship Portal.
The HEIs will also need to upload on their websites information on e-Samadhaan, which monitors and resolves all grievances of students and staff members in varsities, student grievance redressal committee, details of Ombudsperson, internal quality assurance cell, internal complaint committee and anti-ragging cell with helpline number and equal opportunity cell and socio-economically disadvantaged group cell (SEDG).
The websites will also need to upload information on alumni associations, alumni coordination cells, RTI details, circulars, notices, announcements, newsletters, news, pictures and even recent events and achievements.
The websites would need to announce job openings and reservation rosters and display links to the Ministry of Education and UGC.