NCERT Declared Deemed University to Expand Higher Education Reach
NCERT Declared Deemed University to Expand Higher Education Reach
NCERT gains deemed university status, enabling it to offer degree programs and establish off-campus centres under UGC norms, strengthening teacher education nationwide.
In a move set to broaden the horizons of Indian higher education, the Centre has granted the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) the status of an Institution deemed to be University under a distinct category. This designation empowers NCERT to independently offer degree programmes across diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and specialised levels, while continuing its core role in school curriculum development and educational research. The change aligns with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises quality teacher education and robust research.
Previously, NCERT conducted graduate and postgraduate teacher training through six Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) that were affiliated with local universities in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysuru and Shillong. The RIEs, along with the Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education in Bhopal, worked under a system that required approval from their affiliated universities to introduce new courses. The new status distinguishes NCERT from conventional universities by recognising its national role and granting it autonomy to design and run its own academic programmes.
The government notification also states that NCERT will be permitted to establish off-campus and offshore centres “only in accordance with the norms and guidelines issued by the UGC, from time to time, on the subject.” This reflects a controlled expansion that remains within established regulatory frameworks while enabling broader access to higher education in education and research.
NCERT’s headquarters will continue to be in Delhi, with its six constituent institutions—including the RIEs in Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Mysuru and Shillong, and the Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education in Bhopal—operating under the new category. The move represents a significant step in strengthening teacher education and educational research nationwide, and signals a more prominent role for NCERT in shaping higher education policy and practice across the country.
