CAG report questions higher education quality in Uttar Pradesh

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) stated, that there is no university or college in Uttar Pradesh (UP) that has made it to the list of top 100 higher educational institutions in India.

This is a worrying trend as the state is home to one of the largest student populations in the country.

As per the report, in Uttar Pradesh, there were five districts that lacked any government degree college, while five other districts lacked government degree colleges for men or female.

Shockingly, 20 districts in the state had neither government nor privately funded girls' colleges. This highlights a significant gap in the provision of higher education to girls in the state, which needs to be addressed on an urgent basis.

The CAG report revealed that Uttar Pradesh lacks a well-defined policy to regulate the establishment of universities and colleges.

The report stated that the number of public and private universities and government and non-government aided colleges has remained stagnant since 2016-17, while the number of self-financed colleges has increased from 5,377 in 2016-17 to 6,682 in 2019-20.

The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of the state in 2019-20 was also found to be lower than the national average, standing at 25.30% compared to the national average of 27.10%.

Additionally, the report highlighted that only a small percentage of HEIs had NAAC gradings in 2018-19, with the number further reducing to 2.60% (i.e. 183 HEIs) in 2019-20. Out of these, only 29 HEIs (0.40%) received NAAC 'A' grading.

The report emphasizes the urgent need for the state to improve the quality of higher education institutions and increase their numbers to bridge the gap between the state and the national average.

Lack of Quality Education

The absence of any university or college from UP in the top 100 list is a clear indication that the quality of education in the state is not up to the mark.

This could be attributed to a variety of factors, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, outdated curriculum, and lack of qualified faculty.

The CAG report has emphasized the need for the state government to take urgent steps to address these issues and improve the quality of education in higher educational institutions.

Impact on Students

The lack of quality education in UP has a direct impact on the students studying in these institutions. Students who graduate from these colleges and universities are at a disadvantage when compared to their peers from other states.

They may struggle to secure good jobs or pursue higher studies due to the poor quality of education they have received. This can have a ripple effect on the state's economy as well, as the lack of skilled workers could deter investment and growth.

Result delays in MGKVP, Lucknow Univ

The CAG report has revealed that the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKVP) and Lucknow University have been experiencing significant delays in declaring results.

Between 2014 and 2020, MGKVP faced delays of up to 273 days, except in 2018-19, while Lucknow University's result declarations were delayed by up to 175 days during 2017-20.

The report also found that both universities had failed to approve the fee structure for their affiliated private colleges, as per the UGC regulations.

During the period of 2017-20, a significant percentage of students at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKV) and Lucknow University (LU) benefited from post-matric scholarships provided by the Social Welfare Department.

The percentage of students who benefited ranged from 73% to 80% for MGKV and 56% to 67% for LU. However, in 2019-20, only 29% and 17% of classrooms in MGKV and LU, respectively, were equipped with information and communication technology (ICT).

Another concerning issue highlighted in the CAG report was the student-teacher ratio (STR) in government colleges, which was found to be 49:1 during 2019-20, far higher than the prescribed ratio of 20:1.

The report also revealed that MGKV faced significant delays in publishing exam results for different courses between 2014-15 and 2019-20, except in 2018-19.

The delays could extend up to 273 days, while LU experienced delays of up to 175 days during the 2017-20 period.

Additionally, there was no record of data for students who pursued further education within the same university or switched to a different one.

Need for Monitoring and Accountability

The CAG report highlights the need for the state government to create a framework for monitoring the performance of higher educational institutions in the state.

This could include measures such as regular audits, assessments, and inspections to ensure that these institutions are providing quality education to their students.

Additionally, there is a need for greater accountability among these institutions to ensure that they are using the funds allocated to them effectively.

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