Draft report of

CHAPTER – 4
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON HIGHER EDUCATION:

AN OVERVIEW

4.1 Process and Nature of Planning for Higher Education

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  The plan size is determined by the Planning Commission in consultation with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, UGC and other experts through the constitution of an expert group on higher education. The development grant is essentially in the nature of ad hoc grant provided once in five years by UGC to the Central Universities on the basis of negotiations. In allocating the plan grants to the universities, UGC has scheme-based approach to fund higher education. Plans prepared by the universities are scrutinized by the UGC and allocations to the universities are made under the different schemes.
  

In the light of above observations, it would be profitable to explore the possibilities of alternative method of planning, considering one or more of the following issues and aspects: -

- Scheme based approach of the plan support to universities and colleges should be restricted to the few major schemes only.
- Universities and colleges should be allocated a block grant. The block grant can be disbursed against a 5 year perspective plan prepared by the universities and colleges under the guidelines issued by the UGC.
- Perspective plan of the universities and colleges should clearly mention the vision, mission and objectives of the institution. The detailed plan should review the status of teaching and research and contribution of the institution in terms of access, equity and quality.

- Guidelines of the UGC may provide for the norms and the financial support for the separate programme.

- UGC should develop an effective online monitoring mechanism along with the review missions for supervision of implementation of the programmes.