JNU Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar appointed UGC chairman

NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar has been appointed as the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) today, February 4, 2022.

“The central government hereby appoints Prof. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor Jawaharlal Nehru University to the post of chairman of University Grants Commission in Level 17 of the pay matrix,” the ministry of education stated in a letter.

JNU congratulated its Vice Chancellor for being appointed as the Chairman of UGC for five years. He will replace D. P Singh, who served as the UGC chairman from 2018 to 2021. Kumar’s appointment has come at a crucial point when UGC will be instrumental in implementing the new National Education Policy, and reform of the higher education sector. Meanwhile, JNU's VC is yet to be appointed.

An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Kumar was a professor at IIT Delhi before joining JNU as its VC. Despite having a strong education portfolio, Kumar has been in the eye of controversies in JNU involving students and even teachers.

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JNU congratulates hon'ble VC, JNU, Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar for being appointed as the Chairman, UGC for five years.@mamidala90 @EduMinOfIndia @ugc_india

— Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) (@JNU_official_50) February 4, 2022

The post of the UGC chairman fell vacant on December 7 after Singh resigned upon turning 65. The post of vice-chairman of the higher education regulator is also vacant. Education secretary K Sanjay Murthy temporarily held the position after Singh left the office.

The University Grants Commission is a statutory body with the Ministry of Education, Government of India, entrusted with the task of determination, coordination and maintenance of standards in University education. The Chairman is appointed by the central government.

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In 2018, the education ministry had announced its plans to repeal the UGC Act, 1956. A bill was expected to be introduced in the 2021 monsoon session of the Parliament, which if passed would have led to the dissolution of the UGC. The bill intends to replace UGC with the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).