Higher education Apex Level Bodies are government entities that are endowed with powers to regulate (or safeguard) and promulgate higher education in the country. These bodies have strategic decision-making powers, like deciding how a higher education institution ought to function, the academic curriculum to be followed, and measures to be adopted to ensure qualitative improvements.
Some of the popular Apex Level Bodies in the higher education sector in India include:
- AICTE
- COA
- ICHR
- ICPR
- ICSSR
- UGC
Table of Contents
AICTE
The full form of AICTE is All India Council of Technical Education.
It is a national-level apex advisory body that is vested with the statutory authority to:
- Plan, formulate, and maintain norms and standards
- Ensure quality through accreditation
- Fund priority areas, monitor, and evaluate
- Maintain parity of certification & awards
- Manage technical education in the country
All engineering entrance exams are also regulated by the AICTE, including JEE Main, JEE Advanced, BITSAT, SRMJEE, Assam CEE, TS EAMCET, AP EAMCET, etc.
COA
The Council of Architecture (COA) is charged with the responsibility to:
- Regulate the education and practice of Architecture throughout India
- Maintain the register of architects
All architecture entrance exams are regulated by the COA: NATA
What is the ICHR?
The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is an autonomous organization with the following objectives:
“to bring historians together and provide a forum for exchange of views between them;
– to give a national direction to an objective and scientific writing of history and to have rational presentation and interpretation of history;
– to promote, accelerate and coordinate research in history with special emphasis on areas which have not received adequate attention so far;
– to promote and coordinated a balanced distribution of research effort over different areas;
– to elicit support and recognition for historical research from all concerned and ensure the necessary dissemination and use of results.”
In pursuance of these objectives the Council
- provides fellowships and financial assistance to the young teachers in colleges, universities and registered research organizations, as well as to senior scholars who might need financial support,
- brings historians together by providing financial assistance for holding symposia, seminars, workshops, etc for exchanging views related to history,
- provides publication subsidy to the seminars, congress proceedings and journals so that these publications may reach to researchers and scholars,
- publishes a biannual Journal – the Indian Historical Review, and another journal Itihas in Hindi,
- maintains a Library-cum-Documentation Centre exclusively for researchers and scholars,
- maintains two regional centres namely ICHR North-East Regional Centre (Guwahati) and ICHR Southern Regional Centre (Bangalore), which provide assistance to researchers / scholars, and
- takes such other measures as the Council considers appropriate in order to implement the stated objectives of the Indian Council of Historical Research.
Source: ICHR website
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What is ICPR?
The Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) was set up the Government of India (GOI) to achieve the following aims and objectives:
- To periodically review the progress of research in Philosophy;
- To sponsor or assist research projects or programmes in Philosophy;
- To finance institutions and organizations conducting research in Philosophy;
- To provide technical assistance or guidance for the formulation of research projects and programmes in Philosophy, by individuals or institutions, and/or organize and support institutional or other arrangements for training in research methodology;
- To identify areas and topics for research in Philosophy and to adopt special measures for the development of research in neglected or developing areas in Philosophy;
- To coordinate research activities in Philosophy and to encourage programme of interdisciplinary research;
- To organize, sponsor and assist seminars, special courses, study circles, working groups/parties, and conferences for promoting research in Philosophy, and to establish institutes for the same purpose;
- To give grants for publication of digests, journals, periodicals and scholarly works devoted to research in Philosophy and also to undertake their publication;
- To institute and administer fellowships, scholarships and awards for research in Philosophy by students, teachers and others;
- To develop and support documentation services, including maintenance and supply of data, preparation of an inventory of current research in Philosophy and compilation of a national register of philosophers;
- To promote collaboration in research between Indian philosophers and philosophical institutions and those from other countries;
- To develop young and talented philosophers and to encourage research by young philosophers working in universities and other institutions;
- To advise the Government of India on all such matters pertaining to teaching and research in philosophy as may be referred to it by the Government of India from time to time;
- To enter into collaboration on mutually agreed terms, with other institutions, organizations and agencies for the promotion of research in Philosophy;
- To promote teaching and research in Philosophy;
- Generally to take all such measures as may be found necessary from time to time to promote research in Philosophy; and
- To create academic, administrative, technical, ministerial and other posts in the Council and to make appointments, thereto in accordance with the provisions of the Rules and Regulations.
Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)
What is the UGC?
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is the only grant-giving agency in the country which is vested with two responsibilities:
- providing funds
- coordination, determination and maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education.
UGC Mandate
- Promote and coordinate university education.
- Determine and maintain standards of teaching, examination and research in universities.
- Frami regulations on minimum standards of education.
- Monitor developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disburse grants to the universities and colleges.
- Serve as a vital link between the Union and state governments and institutions of higher learning.
- Advise the Central and State governments on the measures necessary for improvement of university education.
Source: UGC website
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