The UGC of Bangladesh is the apex body of all the Government Funded Universities.
The underlying principle is that the Government should not deal directly with the Universities, either individually or collectively: instead, it should deal with the UGC which, in turn, deals directly with the Universities. This arrangement is designed to safeguard the autonomous character of the Universities.
Under section 4(1) of the President's Order No. 10 of 1973 and its amendment of 1998, the UGC consists of the following members.
Chairman
: 1
Full-time Members
: 5
Part-time Members
: 9
The Part-time members embody three Vice-Chancellors by
rotation, three Professors of the Universities-the Vice-Chancellors
of which are not members, and three nominees of the Government (Secretary,
Ministry of Education, relevant Member of the Planning Commission,
and a representative of the Ministry of Finance, not below the rank
of a Secretary).
Role
OverThe basic principle on which the UGC of Bangladesh like its
counterparts elsewhere in the world, has been instituted is that it
shall deal with the Government specially with the Ministry of Education
on behalf of the universities of Bangladesh. The UGC after necessary
assessment and scrutiny of the programme including the needs and demands
determines the requirements of the universities and places it before
the Government for necessary approval. This provides an opportunity
for the universities to present their programme for detail discussion
with the UGC before finalization of the proposals. The UGC performs
the arduous task of convincing the Government about the needs of the
universities and thus works as a coordinating body between the Government
and the universities. The arrangement safeguards the universities
from undue political interference and helps the Government avoid dealing
directly with the universities.
The framing of Education Policy of the country is the responsibility
of the Government. The UGC along with other relevant bodies provides
necessary materials for framing the policy. Within the framework of
the national policy, the UGC is free to deal with the promotion and
development of higher education and research in all fields. On the
other hand, each year UGC submits Annual Report to the National Parliament
through Ministry of Education along with recommendation to enhance
quality education in the country. Till now, the UGC does not deal
with the financial affairs of private universities but supervise,
monitor, co-ordinate and regulate all other activities of private
universities.
Relation with the Universities: The Universities shall not deal directly
with the government but with the University Grants Commission which
in turn shall deal with the government. The primary function of the
University Grants Commission of Bangladesh is to protect and safeguard
the academic and administrative autonomy of the universities, vis-a-vis
the Government. The UGC analyses the needs and demands of the universities
and examines the various programmes of the university including those
for expansion.
For the purpose, officers of the Planning and Development Division
and the Finance and Accounts Division of the Commission make spot
visits to assess the actual needs of the universities and discuss
with the respective university about the justification of the requirements.
The UGC does not play a managerial role but acts as a spokesman and
regulatory body for the universities and places the demands of the
universities before the Government. The Commission plays a pivotal
role of helping the Government in realizing the problems and demands
of the universities. The Government considers the requirements and
proposals of the universities which are examined, processed and forwarded
by the University Grants Commission.
The University Grants Commission supervises and monitors that the
universities are to follow judicious, financial rules and strict discipline
in utilizing public funds. The Universities are required to present
to the University Grants Commission and the Government with a fair
statement of their expenses and shall not directly proceed with any
programme without prior consultation with the UGC.
Relation with the Government: The statutory obligation of the University
Grants Commission to the Parliament emanates from the President’s
Order No. 10 of 1973. As per section 12 of the Order, the Commission
shall not later than the first day of March each year, prepare a report
on the activities for the year ending on the previous thirty-first
day of December and submits it to the Government and the Government
shall cause the report to be laid before the Parliament.
Further, as per section 11 of the Order “the Commission shall
have to maintain such books of account and other books in relation
to its account in such form and in such manner as may, in consultation
with the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, be prescribed”.
The annual accounts of the Commission so prepared together with the
audit report thereon shall be forwarded to the Government to be laid
before the Parliament.
Relation with the Parliament: The Constitutional obligation of
the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh to the Parliament
has been laid down by President's Order No. 10 of 1973 through the
following procedure [(Section 11(1), (2), (3) and (4)].
The Commission’s books of account and other books in relation
to its accounts shall be maintained in such form and manner as may,
in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of Bangladesh,
be prescribed.
The Annual accounts of the Commission together with the audit report
thereon shall be forwarded to the Government and be laid before
the Parliament,
The Commission shall not later than the fist day of March each
year prepare a report on its activities during the year ending on
the previous thirty-first December and the Government shall cause
the report to be laid before the Parliament.
Those provisions are clear in so far as the relation of the University
Grants Commission with the Parliament is concerned.
Functions
Under section 5(1) of the President’s Order No. 10 of 1973 the UGC’s functions are to:
•
assess the needs in the filed of University education and
formulate plans for the development of such education;
•
determine financial needs of the Universities;
•
receive funds form the Government and allocate and disburse,
out of the such funds, grants to the Universities for their
maintenance and development;
•
evaluate the programme under implementation for development
of Universities, teaching departments, institutes and other
constituent institutions;
•
examine all kinds of University developments plans;
•
collect statistical and other information on university matters;
•
advise the Government of the establishment of new Universities
or on proposals for expansion of the existing Universities;
•
advise the Government on proposals to grant the right to
confer special degree awarding status on colleges which may
be considered suitable for such statusother functions as may
be conferred on it by any law or by the Government
Under Section 5 (2) of the President’s Order, the UGC has the
right to visit the universities or to have them visited by team of
experts as and when necessary to evaluate the programme and assess
their needs and requirements.
Section 8 of the President’s Order of 1973 provides that the
Government shall, after due appropriation made under law in this behalf,
pay to the UGC in each financial year such sums as may be considered
necessary for the maintenance and the improvement of public universities
or for the promotion of higher education and research and for the
purpose of all other functions of the UGC.
Furthermore, the UGC shall be accountable to the government for all
the funds it receives and the way they are utilized. The UGC shall
enforce discipline in the universities and it shall have control over
them. All government funds to the universities shall be channeled
through the UGC. No new faculty or teaching position in the universities
shall be created without the prior permission of the UGC.
Recently, the government has, in consultation with UGC, accorded permission
to a number of entrepreneurs to start universities in the private
sector. This has been done in line with the Private Universities Act,
1992, and its amendment in 1998.
The UGC The UGC is to undertake functions which broadly fall into
two categories: Academic and Financial.
