UGC (Act 1956)-A

1 THEUNIVERSITY grants COMMISSIONACT, 1956 (As modified up to the 20th December, 1985)ANDRULES & REGULATIONSUNDER THE ACTUNIVERSITY grants COMMISSIONNEW DELHINOTE : This publication has been printed under the direction and control ofUGC and the Govt. of India shall not be deemed responsible for thematerial reproduced in this copy of the UGC Act, 1956 and Rules andRegulations under the Act, which is strictly meant for Official Use andshall not be used for commercial purposes. Printed and Published bySecretary, university grants CommissionBahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110 002; andPrinted at : Mohan Printing Press, New Delhi-110 015, Ph: 5932597 July 20021000 copiesUGC Act 1956 as Modified upto the 20th December 1985 andRules and Regulations under the Act, 1956 as Modified upto the 20th December, Inspection of Universities Rules, Rules regarding Fitness of Universities, Returns of Information by Universities Rules, Fitness of Institutions for grants Rules, of College in Terms of Regulations, 1974 Framed under the UGC (Establishment and Maintenance of Institutions)

2 Regulations, Regulations, 1985 regarding the MinimumStandards of Instruction for the Grant of the First Regulations, 1991 regarding Minimum Qualifications forAppointment of Teachers in Universities and List of Degrees specified for the purposes of Section 22 ofthe UGC UGC Rules, 1996 regarding Fitness of Health Sciences andMedical Universities for receiving grants73 THEUNIVERSITY grants COMMISSIONACT, 1956 (3 of 1956 )(As modified up to the 20th December, 1985) university grants COMMISSIONNEW DELHIThis Act has been amended by the university grants commission (Amendment) Act, 1972 (No. 33 of 1972).This Act has been further amended by (i) The university GrantsCommission (Amendment) Act,1 1984 (No. 59 of 1984) and (ii) The UniversityGrants commission (Amendment) Act,2 1985 (No. 70 of 1985).LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS with effect The Gazette of India, Extraordinary-Part II - Section 1 - No.

3 72-Cdated August 31, The Gazette of India, Extraordinary-Part II - Section 1 - No. 88dated December 23, 1985 THE university grants COMMISSIONACT, 1956 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONSCHAPTER title and of Act to institutions for higher studies other than IIESTABLISHMENT OF THE of the of the and conditions of service of of the amongst members or defect in constitution not to invalidate actsor proceedings of the association of persons with the commission for Staff of the Authentication of orders and other instruments of the IIIPOWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMISSION12. Functions of the Regulation of fees and prohibition of donations in certain Prohibition regarding giving of any grant to a university not declared bythe commission fit to receive such Consequences of failure of Universities to comply with recommendationsof the Payment to the Fund of the Annual Account and IVMISCELLANEOUSSECTIONS20.

4 Directions by the Central Returns and Right to confer Prohibition of the use of the word university in certain Power to make Power to make Power to Laying of rules and regulations before of Sections4 THE university grants COMMISSIONACT, 1956 (3 of 1956 )[3rd March, 1956 ]An Act to make provision for the co-ordination and determination ofstandards in Universities and for that purpose, to establish aUniversity grants it enacted by Parliament in the Seventh Year of the Republic of Indiaas follows:-CHAPTER IPRELIMINARY1.(1) This Act may be called the university GrantsComission Act, 1956 .(2) It shall come into force on such date1 as theCentral Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-(a) commission means the university GrantsCommission established under section 4;(b) executive authority in relation to a university ,means the chief executive authority of theUniversity (by whatever name called) in whichthe general administration of the university isvested;(c) Fund means the Fund of the university GrantsCommission constituted under section 16;(d) member means a member of the UniversityGrants commission and includes the Chairman2(and Vice-Chairman];(e) prescribed means prescribed by rules madeunder this Act;Short title andcommencementDefinitions1.)

5 5th November, 1956 , vide notification No. 2608, dated the 1st November, 1956 , see Gazette of India, 1956 , Pt. II, Sec. 3, Act has been extended to Pondicherry by Act. 26 of 1968, s. 3 and Sch. Ins. by Act 33 of 1972, s. 2 ( 17-6-1972). university grants commission [ACT 36(f) university means a university established orincorporated by or under a Central Act, aProvincial Act or a State Act, and includes anysuch institution as may, in consultation with theUniversity concerned, be recoginsed by theCommission in accordance with the regulationsmade in this behalf under this Central Government may, on the advice of theCommission, declare by notification in the OfficialGazette, that any institution for higher education,other than a university , shall be deemed to be aUniversity for the purposes of this Act, and on sucha declaration being made, all the provisions of thisAct shall apply to such institution as if it were aUniversity within the meaning of clause (f) of section IIESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMISSION4.]

6 (1) With effect from such date as the CentralGovernment may, by notification in the OfficialGazette, appoint, there shall be established aCommission by the name of the university GrantsCommission.(2) The said commission shall be a body corporatehaving perpetual succession and a common seal,and shall by the said name sue and be [5. (1) The commission shall consist of (i) a Chairman,(ii) a Vice-Chairman, and(iii) ten other members,to be appointed by the Central Government.(2) The Chairman shall be chosen from amongpersons who are not officers of the CentralGovernment or of any State Government.(3) Of the other members referred to in clause (iii) ofsub-section (1) (a) two shall be chosen from among the officersof the Central Government, to represent thatGovernment;Application of Actto institutions forhigher studiesother thanUniversitiesEstablishment ofthe CommissionComposition ofthe Commission1.]

7 Subs. by. Act 33 of 1972, s. 3, for s. 5 ( 17-6-1972)(Chapter I - Preliminary) university grants CommissionOF 1956 ]7(b) not less than four shall be chosen fromamong persons who are, at the time whenthey are so chosen, teachers of Universities;and(c) the remainder shall be chosen from amongpersons-(i) Who have knowledge of, or experiencein, agriculture, commerce, forestry orindustry;(ii) who are members of the engineering,legal, medical or any other learnedprofession; or(iii) who are Vice-Chancellors of Universitiesor who, not being teachers ofUniversities, are in the opinion of theCentral Government, educationists ofrepute or have obtained high academicdistinctions:Provided that not less than one-half of thenumber chosen under this clause shall be fromamong persons who are not officers of the CentralGovernment or of any State Government.

8 (4) The Vice-Chairman shall exercise such of thepowers, and discharge such of the duties, of theChairman as may be prescribed.(5) Every appointment under this section shall takeeffect from the date on which it is notified by theCentral Government in the Official (1) A person appointed as Chairman, Vice-Chairmanor other member after the commencement of theUniversity grants commission (Amendment) Act,1985 shall, unless he sooner becomesdisqualified for continuing as such under therules that may be made under this Act, (a) in the case of Chairman, hold office for aterm of five years or until he attains the ageof sixty-five years, whichever is earlier;(b) in the case of Vice-Chairman, hold office fora term of three years or until he attains theage of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier;(c) in the case of any other member, hold officefor a term of three years:Terms andconditions ofservice of members1.

9 Subs. by Act 70 of 1985, for sub-section (1) of Section 6 ( 20-12-1985)(Chapter II Establishment of the commission ) university grants commission [ACT 38 Provided that (i) a person who has held office as Chairman orVice-Chairman shall be eligible for furtherappointment as Chairman, Vice-Chairman orother member, and(ii) a person who has held office as any othermember shall be eligible for further appointmentas Chairman, Vice-Chairman or other member:Provided further that a person who has held office fortwo terms, in any capacity, whether as Chairman, Vice-Chairman or other member [excluding a member referredto in clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 5], shall notbe eligible for any further appointment as Chairman,Vice-Chairman or other member.(2) A member may resign his office by writing underhis hand addressed to the Central Government;but he shall continue in office until his resignationis accepted by the Central [(3) If a casual vacancy occurs in the office of theChairman, whether by reason of his death,resignation or inability to discharge his functionsowing to illness or other incapacity, the Vice-Chairman holding office as such for the timebeing shall, withstanding anything contained insub-section (2) of section 5, act as the Chairmanand shall, unless any other person is appointedearlier as the Chairman, hold the office of theChairman for the remainder of the term of officeof the person in whose place he is to so act.]]

10 Provided that where no Vice-Chairman is holdingoffice at the time, when the vacancy in the officeof the Chairman occurs, the Central Governmentshall, notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (2) of section 5, appoint any other memberto act as the Chairman and the person soappointed shall not hold the office of the Chairmanfor a period exceeding six months.(4) If a casual vacancy occurs in the office of theVice-Chairman or any other member, whether byreason of his death, resignation or inability todischarge his functions owing to illness or otherincapacity, such vacancy shall be filled up by theCentral Government by making a freshappointment and the member so appointed shallhold office for a term of three years.(Chapter II Establishment of the commission )1. Subs. by Act 33 of 1972, , for sub-sections (3) and (4) ( 17-06-1972) university grants CommissionOF 1956 ]9(Chapter II Establishment of the commission )(5) The office of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairmanshall be whole-time and salaried and subjectthereto, the terms and conditions of service ofthe Chairman, Vice-Chairman and other membersshall be such as may be prescribed.