University Grants Commission (UGC)

The University Grants Commission is a statutory organization established by an Act of Parliament in 1956 for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. Apart from providing grants to eligible universities and colleges, the Commission also advises the Central and State Governments on the measures which are necessary for the development of Higher Education. It functions from New Delhi as well as its six Regional offices located in Bangalore, Bhopal, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune.

For more details, click here: www.ugc.ac.in

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) was set up in 1945 as an advisory body and later on in 1987 given the statutory status by an Act of Parliament. The AICTE grants approval for starting new technical institutions, for introduction of new courses and for variation in intake capacity in technical institutions. The AICTE has delegated to the concerned state governments powers to process and grant approval of new institutions, starting new courses and variations in the intake capacity for diploma level technical institutions. It also lays down norms and standards for such institutions. It also ensures quality development of technical education through accreditation of technical institutions or programmes. In additional to its regulatory role, the AICTE also has a promotional role which it implements through schemes for promoting technical education for women, handicapped and weaker section of the society promoting innovations, faculty, research and development, giving grants to technical institutions.

The technical institutions under the AICTE include post-graduate, under-graduate and diploma in the whole spectrum of technical education covering engineering/technology, pharmacy, architecture, hotel management and catering technology, management studies computer applications and applied arts and crafts.

The AICTE has its headquarters in New Delhi and seven regional offices located at Kolkata, Chennai, Kanpur, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bhopal and Bangalore. A new regional office at Hyderabad has been set up and is to be operational soon.

The Council discharges its functions through an Executive Committee.

For more details, click here: www.aicte-india.org

Council of Architecture(COA)

The Council of Architecture (COA) has been constituted by the Government of India under the provisions of the Architects Act, 1972, enacted by Parliament, which came into force on September 1, 1972. The Act provides for registration of Architects and matters connected therewith. The COA, besides maintaining a Register of Architects, oversees the maintenance of standards, periodically of recognized qualifications under the Act by way of conducting inspection through Committees of Experts. Based on the inspections, the COA can make representation to appropriate Governments with regard to inadequacy of standards maintained by the institutions. The Central Government after further inquiry as deemed fit and keeping in view the comments of the appropriate Governments and the architecture institutions is required to take decision regarding notifying de-recognition of the architectural qualification. The recommendations of the COA are taken before any architectural qualification is notified as recognized under the Act by the Central Government.

For more details, click here: www.coa.gov.in