Page 323 - Compendium of UGC Regulations 1957-2023

Regulations pertaining to Autonomy to HEIs:

Provided that for Government owned Deemed to be Universities, approval shall be
taken from the Government if funding is sought from the Government for starting a
new course/programme/ department/school in self-financing mode.
4.3 Universities may open constituent units/off-campus centres within its geographical
jurisdiction, without the approval of the UGC, provided it is able to arrange both
recurring and non-recurring revenue sources and does not need any assistance for the
same from the UGC or the Government.
4.4 Universities may start skill courses, consistent with the National Skills Qualification
Framework, without approval of the UGC, provided no demand for fund is made from
the government on account of starting the new courses. Degree programmes shall be
consistent with the approved nomenclature of UGC. Diploma and certificate courses
approved by its Statutory Authorities or Statutory Regulatory Authorities wherever
required, may be started in new and innovative areas that are relevant to local, national
or international needs, with information to the UGC.

4.5 Universities may open research parks, incubation centres, university society linkage
centres, in self-financing mode, either on its own or in partnership with private partners,
without approval of Commission. However, in all such arrangements, the ownership of
all immovable property and that component of movable property procured through the
resources of the Institution shall remain with the University.

4.6 Universities, subject to the Rules, Regulations and Guidelines of Government of
India, may hire, without approval of the Commission, foreign faculty having taught
at any institution appearing in top five hundred of any of the world renowned ranking
frameworks, such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings or the QS
Rankings, upto twenty percent over and above of their total sanctioned faculty strength.
Universities will have the freedom to hire foreign faculty on “tenure/contract” basis as
per the terms and conditions approved by their Governing Council/Statutory bodies.
4.7 Universities shall be free to admit foreign students on merit, subject to a maximum of
twenty percent, over and above of the strength of their approved domestic students.
Universities would be free to fix and charge fees from foreign students without any
restriction.
4.8 Universities, while following the pay scales as laid down by the Commission, shall
build in an incentive structure to attract talented faculty, with the condition that the
incentive structure shall have to be paid from their own revenue sources and not from
Commission or Government funds. Such incentive structure shall be strictly merit based
with clear defined, transparent and objective criteria and shall not be universal. It must
necessarily be approved by both the Academic Council and the Finance Committee of
the Institution, apart from Statutory Bodies like Senate/Syndicate/Executive Council,
as the case may be. The Commission shall be informed of the incentive structure within
thirty days of approval by the statutory bodies of the Institution.

4.9 Universities may engage in academic collaborations with foreign educational
institutions, as per the UGC (Promotion and Maintenance of Standards of Academic
Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2016,
without approval of the Commission with foreign institutions in top 500 of Times Higher
Education World University Rankings or QS Rankings or top 200 of discipline specific
ranking in Times Higher Education World University Rankings or QS Rankings.

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UGC Regulations