NCERT A Deemed-To-Be-University Now (Image: twitter.com/ncert)

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that the educational research and training establishment NCERT has been given the status of a Deemed-to-be-University.  While making the announcement, the minister said National Council for Educational Research and Training or NCERT on becoming a research university will offer opportunities for global collaborations and contributions to the global educational landscape.

According to University Grants Commission (UGC), an institution of higher education, other than a university, doing the work of high standard in a specific area, can be declared as an institution deemed to be university.

The minister was attending the 63rd Foundation Day Celebration of NCERT today in New Delhi.

The minister also inaugurated a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory of the CIET on the occasion.

Deemed to be universities, like other universities, have the autonomy of offering various courses and therefore, preparing students for various examinations and awards. These institutions design their own syllabus and courses to prepare the students to foray into diverse fields after the completion of their study.

The NCERT is an autonomous organisation set up in 1961 by the Government of India to assist and advise the Central and State Governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school education.