8 min readConcept sheetNEP 2020 and regulator MCQs
Policies, governance and administration
Higher education is steered by NEP 2020, regulated by bodies such as the UGC and AICTE, and judged by NAAC accreditation and NIRF rankings.
NEP 2020 GER target50% by 2035
Proposed single regulatorHECI, with four verticals (now taken up in a 2025 Bill)
NAACSet up 1994, Bengaluru; accredits institutions
NIRFLaunched 2015; five parameters
NEP 2020: key points for higher education
- Gross Enrolment Ratio (including vocational education) to rise to 50% by 2035.
- School structure 5+3+3+4 replaces 10+2: Foundational (ages 3-8: 3 years pre-school + Classes 1-2), Preparatory (Classes 3-5), Middle (Classes 6-8), Secondary (Classes 9-12).
- Multidisciplinary undergraduate degree of 3 or 4 years with exits: certificate after 1 year, diploma after 2, Bachelor’s after 3; the 4-year multidisciplinary Bachelor’s (preferred; Honours) can be ‘with Research’ if a research project is completed.
- Academic Bank of Credits to store and transfer credits; the M.Phil. is discontinued.
- Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) as a single regulator, except for medical and legal education, with four verticals: NHERC (regulation), NAC (accreditation), HEGC (funding), GEC (standards). NEP’s single-regulator idea is now the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 (introduced December 2025 and referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee), which would replace UGC, AICTE and NCTE. Check its current status before the exam.
- A National Research Foundation to fund research, set up by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023.
- Affiliation of colleges to be phased out over 15 years; colleges to become autonomous degree-granting institutions or parts of universities.
- Public spending on education to reach 6% of GDP.
Regulatory and assessment bodies
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| UGC (statutory 1956) | Coordinates and maintains university standards; recognises universities (Section 2(f)); makes them eligible for central grants (Section 12B) |
| AICTE (statutory 1987) | Approves and regulates technical education |
| NCTE (Act of 1993) | Regulates teacher education |
| NAAC (1994) | Assesses and accredits institutions |
| NBA | Accredits individual programmes, mainly in technical education |
| NIRF (2015) | Ranks institutions on five parameters |
| NTA (2017) | Conducts entrance and eligibility tests such as UGC-NET and CUET |
NAAC criteria and NIRF parameters
NAAC's seven criteria1 Curricular aspects · 2 Teaching-learning and evaluation · 3 Research, innovations and extension · 4 Infrastructure and learning resources · 5 Student support and progression · 6 Governance, leadership and management · 7 Institutional values and best practices. These seven belong to the CGPA framework; from 2025 NAAC is moving to Binary Accreditation (10 attributes) plus Maturity-Based Graded Levels 1-5. Check the latest NAAC notification.
NIRF's five parametersTLR Teaching, learning and resources · RP Research and professional practice · GO Graduation outcomes · OI Outreach and inclusivity · PR Perception
Who does what in a university
| Authority or officer | Role |
|---|---|
| Visitor | The President of India, for central universities |
| Chancellor | Titular head who presides over convocation; usually the Governor in state universities |
| Vice-Chancellor | Principal executive and academic officer |
| Registrar | Head of administration; keeps records and the common seal |
| Executive Council (Syndicate) | Principal executive body |
| Academic Council | Principal academic body: courses, standards, examinations |
| Court (Senate) | Large body representing stakeholders; reviews policy and annual reports |
How NET asks this: recall NEP 2020 numbers (GER 50% by 2035, 6% of GDP, HECI's four verticals), match bodies with roles, or list the NIRF parameters.
Typical MCQ: “Name the four verticals of HECI proposed in NEP 2020.” NHERC (regulation), NAC (accreditation), HEGC (funding) and GEC (academic standards).
Typical MCQ: “Which NIRF parameter covers placements and higher studies?” Graduation Outcomes (GO).
HECI's verticals, R-A-F-S: Regulation (NHERC), Accreditation (NAC), Funding (HEGC), Standards (GEC).