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During 2016 the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) released a number of new programmes and initiatives were announced and implemented. The consolidated list of the MHRD achievements from 2016 can be found in the official press release here.

The Indian Government has approved the establishment of Higher Education Financing Agency to give a major push for creation of high quality infrastructure in premier educational institutions. To read more about this initiative, find the official press release here.

Indian Institutes of Management will become Institutions of National Importance where they can grant degrees. They will have complete autonomy and corresponding accountability. The official press release of the announcement can be found here.

The Indian Government press release highlights various initiatives taken to raise the standard of higher education institutions in India. This includes the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT), Uchchatar Avishkar Yojna (UAY), Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) & Global Research Interactive Network (GRIN). The full press release can be found here.

The Indian Government has approved the proposal for a single entrance exam for engineering and architecture at the undergraduate level from 2018. MHRD has instructed the All India Council for Technical Education to implement the proposal. Media report can be found here.

Minister Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Human Resources Development is worried about ‘brain drain’ and wants to retain knowledge in India by providing the good research and innovation facilities. Media reports on his speech can be found here.

The 2017 Budget has proposed a potentially game-changing overhaul of the University Grants Commission and “greater administrative and academic autonomy for good quality higher education institutes. Senior policy makers also believed that good institutions should be kept away from UGC’s ‘stringent regulatory framework’. Please find media reports here.

In the budget speech, the Indian Finance Minister promises an innovation fund for secondary students. Minister Javadekar elaborated on the plans during an interview “Good institutes will get more autonomy, middle-level will have 50:50 and the not-so-good institutes will have more regulation”. Media reports can be found here.

There are new insights into the massive faculty shortage across the country in higher education. Delhi University alone has around 4500 vacancies, of which it is now starting to advertise for 378. Minister Javadekar has an ambitious program to fill many vacancies over the coming two years. Please find media article here.

There are new reforms in the University Grants Commission, SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active –Learning for Young Aspiring Minds); education budget and an innovation fund of INR 100 crore for schools. Please find media article here.