NCERT Granted Deemed University Status, Set to Offer Degrees and Expand Research

The Ministry of Education has granted deemed-to-be-university status to National Council of Educational Research and Training following a recommendation by the University Grants Commission under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.

The UGC has issued a Letter of Intent with specific conditions based on the positive assessment of an expert committee. With this status, NCERT will gain greater autonomy to expand its academic and research activities and move towards achieving global standards in education.

As part of the restructuring, six major NCERT institutions have been brought under the ambit of the new university framework. These include the Regional Institutes of Education in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysore and Shillong, along with the central unit in Delhi. Previously affiliated with different universities, these institutes will now function under a unified NCERT system, ensuring streamlined administration and uniformity in curriculum and research.

The new status will enable NCERT to award its own degrees and launch undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes. This marks a significant shift from its earlier role, which was primarily focused on developing school curricula and textbooks. The change is expected to strengthen teacher training, educational research and innovation in pedagogy.

Students will now have direct access to NCERT’s academic programmes, allowing them to specialise in areas such as school education, child psychology and modern teaching methodologies.

The move is also aimed at enhancing NCERT’s global presence. As a deemed university, it will be able to collaborate with international institutions, initiate faculty exchange programmes and promote its research at a global level.

The Ministry of Education said the decision aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020, aiming to improve the quality of education and position India as a global knowledge hub.