The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is expected to get deemed-to-be-university status by the end of January, a move that would significantly broaden its mandate from school education to higher education and advanced research, officials said.
Officials indicated that the process is in its final stage, with all preparatory work completed. The proposal is now awaiting consideration by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which is expected to take a call at its next meeting.
"All the necessary groundwork has been completed. The matter is before the UGC, and once it is discussed in the upcoming meeting, a decision is likely by the end of the month," a senior official said.
The proposal to elevate NCERT was announced by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in 2023. At the time, he said the transition would help NCERT evolve into a research-oriented institution, strengthen international academic collaborations, and allow it to play a larger role in the global education ecosystem.
Once granted deemed university status, NCERT will be able to function as a full-fledged research university, officials said. This will enable it to launch expanded in-house research programmes and independently award undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees-a major shift from its current role focused largely on curriculum development for school education.
Officials added that NCERT will continue to be primarily funded by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education.
A deemed-to-be-university status is accorded to higher education institutions that demonstrate academic excellence in a specialised area. The status is granted on the recommendation of the UGC and with the approval of the Central government.
Institutions with this designation enjoy substantial academic autonomy, including the authority to design courses, frame curricula, set admission norms and determine fee structures. All universities and deemed universities in India are regulated by the UGC, which derives its powers from the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.
