9.4 Extending the UGC Coverage to the Left Out Institutions: There are a large number of institutions that are technically under the purview of the UGC but are not provided financial support by it because they fail to fulfill the minimum eligibility norms. Most of the minimum eligibility norms, it may be noted, are prescribed in terms of physical facilities, infrastructure and human resources. These institutions typically symbolise the chicken and egg story and are trapped in the vicious cycle of deprivation. They do not get access to UGC development assistance simply because they are poor enough and are not able to meet the minimum investment norms. Even a cursory look on the prevailing practice is sufficient to indicate the gravity of the situation. There are 14,000 colleges in the country under the purview of the UGC. Of these only 5,273 colleges are presently eligible to receive development grants, thereby leaving as many as 9,130 colleges without any development assistance [Table 28].
