International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Role of University Grants Commission in
Promoting Library Services
Basawaraj Malipatil
Librarian, Dr Ambedkar First Grade College Rangampet, Tq-Shorapur, Dist- Yadagir. 585220. Karnataka State, India
Email: malipatillibrarian[at]gmail.com
Abstract: University Grants commission (UGC) is a statutory organization established by an act of parliament in 1956. This is a
national body for the co-ordination determination and maintenance of standards of university education. The UGC serves as a vital
link between the union and state governments and the institutions of higher learning. In addition to its role of giving grants to
universities and colleges the UGC also advises union and state governments on the measures necessary for the improvement of
university education. It also frames regulations such as those on the minimum standards of instruction and qualifications of teachers
on the advice of subject specialists and academicians with whom it frequently interacts in connection with the formulation evaluation
and monitoring of programmes.
Keywords: Universities, Colleges, Education, Development, Library Professional
1. Introduction guidelines for LIS schools covering admission policy
students and faculty strength instructional methodology
The commission being an apex body in maintaining higher teaching aids and application of information technology
education in the country is playing a major role in promoting tec. Besides it also constituted a committee called UGC
library and information services in these universities and panel in library and information science to suggest the
colleges. Besides it has also established and constituted a changes to be brought in the education and training of
number of libraries/information centers/study centers and LIS courses.
committees to provide quality education and service in the 3) Establishment of national information centres
field of library and information activities. Some of these are: The objective of establishing national information
i) Financial assistance to university and college libraries. centres in specialized areas is to provide improved
ii) Curriculum Development committee (CDC) on library access to information and to provide bibliographic
& information science. support to teachers and research scholars in their
iii) Establishment of national information centres. respective fields. Three such centers have been
iv) Establishment of INFLIBNET established and they have developed computer
v) Modernization of university libraries and databases to render reference and information services,
vi) National review committee on university and college documentation services and current awareness services.
libraries. 4) Establishment of INFLIBNET
The UGC established an information and library
1) Financial assistance to University and college network (INFLIBNET) programme with headquarters at
libraries Ahemadabad as a project of the inter university centre
Financial assistance is given to universities and colleges for astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCA), Pune in April
including central universities state universities Deemed 1991. The INFLIBNET programme aims at the
universities and Government and affiliated colleges establishment of a national network of libraries and
which receive grants for building up libraries so as to information centers in institutions of higher learning
meet the demands of the students teachers and research including universities colleges R & D institutions and
scholars. The commission provides substantial grants national organizations like CSIR, ICMR, ICSSR, ICAR,
for the acquisition of books and journals. For other DOE, etc. It is a computer-communication network of
infrastructural facilities also like library buildings libraries and bibliographical information centres and is
furniture and equipment grants arc given in every five- a co-operative network programme for pooling sharing
year plan period it also introduced a scheme of book and optimisation of resources facilities and services of
bank in colleges and universities by providing grants to libraries and information centres in the university
acquire multiple copies of costly text books system as well as in the R & D complex. It provides
recommended in all the disciplines. The objective of access to information to students academics and
this scheme was to provide text books to poor needy researchers in rendering various information and
and deserving students for home study on long term documentation services such as a) catalogue- based
basis by charging nominal deposits. This scheme is no service b) database service e) document delivery service
longer in operation by UGC support. d) collection development and e) communication –
2) Curriculum Development committee (CDC) on based service.
library and information science 5) Modernization of university libraries
The UGC constituted CDC on library and information Recent advances in information and communication
science in 1990 to restructure the courses of studies. technology and its utility have forced the university
The committee in its recommendations framed libraries to computerize their services and connecting
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201206232456 DOI: 10.21275/SR201206232456 381
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
themselves to various network programmes like
INFLIBNET so as to provide fast efficient and reliable
computerized information service to its users. The UGC
has also provided special financial assistance to central
university libraries and other university libraries
established during last few financial years for updating
their library facilities. The main objective was to
computerize their library activities and connect them to
INFLIBNET programmes. The utilization of the fund
provided for the purpose is to meet the following
expenses.
a) Purchase of computer system monitor, printer,
terminals software etc.
b) Computer, furniture and electrical fitting and air-
conditioning
c) Mode, telephone line and connection to nearest
communication mode.
d) Appointment of information scientist
e) Support for data entry work
f) Purchase of books, journals, audio-visuals and their
processing
g) Data entry conversion (modernisation)
h) Staff training and
i) Other contingencies etc.
6) National Review Committee on University and
College Libraries
The purpose of constituting such a committee is to
review the utilization of grants to central universities
and some state university libraries of Rs. 2 crores and
Rs. 50 lakhs respectively secondly to prepare a status
report of university and college libraries in India, and
thirdly to prepare a strategy plan/guidelines for the
future for smooth functioning of these university and
college libraries.
2. Conclusion
Recently UDC in 2003 took a big decision to implement
UGC INFONET programme. In this programme each
university will be provided internet connectivity through
various modes e.g. VSAT link Radio link or satellite link
etc. Depending upon the geographical conditions of the
university where it is situated. After linking free access to e-
journals will be provided to them. This will be a big change
in the library services. Some of the universities have already
been provided this facility and rest are in the development
phase.
References
[1] Venkateswararao Podile (2011). Role of UGC and
NAAC in Governing Higher Education in India.
Conference on Challenges of Higher Education in India.
T.J.P.S. College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
[2] Apoorva Shankar (2016). Role of Private Sector in
Higher Education. Human Resource Development
Department.
[3] www.ugc.ac.in
[4] www.indiaeducation.net
[5] en.m.wikipedia.org
Volume 9 Issue 12, December 2020
www.ijsr.net
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201206232456 DOI: 10.21275/SR201206232456 382
