UGC NET PAPER 1 · UNIT 10 · REVISION
Higher Education System Rapid-Recall Sheet
Each line is a typical direct-recall item. Use it in the last days of revision, after you have read the topics and the exam traps.
- 154 high-yield facts
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High-yield facts
| Item | Key fact |
|---|---|
| Takshashila (Taxila) | Near Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Flourished from about 6th century BCE to 5th century CE; Individual teachers, not a single campus; Vedas, 18 shilpas (crafts), medicine, archery, politics. Associated with Panini (grammar), Chanakya (Kautilya), Jivaka (physician), Charaka |
| Varanasi (Kashi) | Uttar Pradesh; Ancient to present; Brahmanical and Sanskrit learning, philosophy |
| Nalanda | Rajgir, Bihar; Traditionally founded by Kumaragupta I (5th century CE); patronised by Gupta, Harsha, Pala rulers; Buddhist and secular studies; entrance test at the gate; about 10,000 students and 1,500 teachers in Hiuen Tsang's account; nine-storey library Dharmaganj |
| Vikramshila | Bhagalpur, Bihar; Founded by Dharmapala (Pala dynasty), 8th to 9th century; Tantric Buddhism, Tibetan links; famous scholar Atisha Dipankara |
| Odantapuri | Bihar Sharif, Bihar; Pala period (traditionally Gopala); Buddhist studies; said to have inspired Tibet's Samye monastery |
| Jagaddala | Bengal; Ramapala, Pala dynasty; Tantric Buddhism, manuscripts |
| Somapura Mahavihara (Paharpur) | Bangladesh; Dharmapala; Large monastic complex |
| Valabhi | Gujarat; Maitraka dynasty; Hinayana Buddhism; rivalled Nalanda; scholars Gunamati and Sthiramati |
| Kanchi (Kanchipuram) | Tamil Nadu; Pallava period; Sanskrit, Buddhism, Jainism, philosophy |
| Mithila and Nadia (Navadvip) | Bihar and West Bengal; Medieval period; Nyaya and Navya-Nyaya logic |
| Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh; Gupta and after; Astronomy, mathematics |
| Ghatikas, Agraharas, Mathas | South India; Pallava, Chola; Sanskrit, Vedic and temple-based learning |
| 1948 to 49 | University Education Commission; S. Radhakrishnan; Recommended a UGC on the UK model; rural universities; three-year degree after 12 years of schooling; better teacher pay; university autonomy; stress on post-graduate and research standards |
| 1952 to 53 | Secondary Education Commission; A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar; Diversified courses, multipurpose schools, three-year higher secondary; vocational stream |
| 1953 | UGC set up as an interim body; Inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad; Became statutory by the UGC Act 1956 |
| 1964 to 66 | Education Commission (Kothari Commission), report titled Education and National Development; D. S. Kothari; 10+2+3 structure; education spending of 6 per cent of national income; common school system; three-language formula; work experience and science education; agricultural universities; autonomous colleges; centres of advanced study; correspondence and evening courses |
| 1968 | National Policy on Education (first); Government of India, on Kothari Commission; Three-language formula; 6 per cent outlay; equalisation of educational opportunity |
| 1986 | National Policy on Education; Rajiv Gandhi government; "Common core"; Operation Blackboard; Navodaya Vidyalayas; strengthening open universities (IGNOU 1985); rural universities; autonomous colleges; National Council of Higher Education idea |
| 1990 | Review committee on NPE 1986; Acharya Ramamurti; Report: Towards an Enlightened and Humane Society |
| 1992 | Modified NPE and Programme of Action; Janardhan Reddy Committee, then POA 1992; Common entrance test for professional education; national-level examinations |
| 1992 to 93 | Punnayya Committee; K. Punnayya; Resource mobilisation and financing of higher education |
| 1993 | Learning Without Burden; Yash Pal; Reducing the curriculum load (school level) |
| 2000 | Report on a policy framework for reforms in education (Ambani and Birla report); Mukesh Ambani and Kumar Mangalam Birla; Market-friendly reforms; private sector role |
| 2005 to 09 | National Knowledge Commission; Sam Pitroda; 1,500 universities by 2015; Independent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education; GER of 15 per cent by 2015 |
| 2009 | Committee on Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education; Yash Pal; National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER); multidisciplinary universities; end of stand-alone professional institutions |
| 2016 to 19 | Committees for the new education policy; T. S. R. Subramanian (2016), K. Kasturirangan (draft 2019); Basis of NEP 2020 |
| 2020 | National Education Policy; Approved 29 July 2020; See topic 6 |
| ICMR (as Indian Research Fund Association) | 1911; Medical research |
| ICAR | 1929; Agricultural research |
| CSIR | 1942; Scientific and industrial research |
| TIFR | 1945; Fundamental research (Homi Bhabha) |
| Department of Atomic Energy | 1954; Nuclear science |
| DRDO | 1958; Defence research |
| ICSSR | 1969; Social science research |
| ISRO | 1969; Space research |
| ICHR | 1972; Historical research |
| ICPR | 1981; Philosophical research |
| Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla | 1965; Humanistic research |
| ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation) | Act 2023; Funds research across disciplines; outlay about 50,000 crore over five years |
| UGC | UGC Act 1956; Universities and general higher education |
| AICTE | AICTE Act 1987 (advisory since 1945); Technical education and management |
| NMC | NMC Act 2019; Modern medicine (replaced MCI) |
| DCI | Dentists Act 1948; Dental education |
| PCI | Pharmacy Act 1948; Pharmacy education |
| INC | Indian Nursing Council Act 1947; Nursing |
| BCI | Advocates Act 1961; Legal profession and education |
| NCTE | NCTE Act 1993; Teacher education |
| RCI | RCI Act 1992; Rehabilitation and special education |
| VCI | VCI Act 1984; Veterinary education |
| Council of Architecture | Architects Act 1972; Architecture |
| ICAI | Chartered Accountants Act 1949; Chartered accountancy |
| ICMAI | Cost and Works Accountants Act 1959; Cost accountancy |
| ICSI | Company Secretaries Act 1980; Company secretaryship |
| NCISM and NCH | Acts of 2020; Indian systems of medicine; homoeopathy |
| NCAHP | Act 2021; Allied and healthcare professions |
| NCVET | 2018; Vocational qualifications |
| NAAC | 1994; Institutional accreditation |
| NBA | 1994 (autonomous 2010); Programme accreditation (technical) |
| Visitor | For Central universities, the President of India; can order inspections and, under the Central Universities Act 2009, has overriding powers; appoints the Vice-Chancellor from a panel |
| Chancellor | Titular, ceremonial head; for State universities usually the Governor; presides over convocations and confers degrees |
| Vice-Chancellor (VC) | Chief academic and executive officer; chairs Executive Council and Academic Council; term usually five years in Central universities; UGC 2018 regulations ask for at least ten years as Professor (or equivalent) for VC |
| Pro-Vice-Chancellor | Assists the VC in academic and administrative work |
| Registrar | Chief administrative officer; custodian of records and common seal; secretary to authorities |
| Finance Officer | Accounts, budget and financial management; advises on finance |
| Controller of Examinations | Conduct of examinations and results |
| Proctor / Dean of Student Welfare | Student discipline and welfare |
| Dean | Head of a faculty (group of related departments) |
| Head of Department (HoD) | Coordinates teaching, research and administration in the department |
| Principal | Academic and administrative head of a college |
| Librarian, Director of Physical Education, etc. | Support functions |
| Executive Council (Syndicate in some State universities) | The principal executive body; manages property, finances, appointments and policy; chaired by the VC |
| Academic Council | The principal academic body; controls teaching, courses, curricula, examinations and academic standards; presided over by the VC |
| Court (Senate) | A large, broad-based body that reviews the annual report and accounts and advises on policy; Senate is the older name in many universities |
| Board of Studies (BoS) | Recommends courses of study and syllabi for a subject or department; its proposals are approved by the Academic Council |
| Faculty | Deals with the courses in a group of subjects |
| Finance Committee, Planning Board, Selection Committees | The Finance Committee advises the Executive Council; Selection Committees (chaired by the VC) recommend teacher appointments |
| IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell) | Created on NAAC advice (2005 onwards); chaired by the head of the institution; coordinates quality initiatives and prepares the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) |
| 14 | Equality before law; reasonable classification test (intelligible differentia and rational nexus) |
| 15(1), 15(3) | No discrimination on religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth; special provisions for women and children |
| 15(4) | Special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes, SCs, STs; inserted by the First Amendment (1951) after State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan |
| 15(5) | Reservation in admission to educational institutions, including private unaided (not minority); 93rd Amendment (2005) |
| 15(6) | Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections; 103rd Amendment (2019) |
| 16(4), 16(4A) | Reservation in appointments; in promotion for SCs and STs (77th Amendment) |
| 19(1)(g) | Right to practise any profession or occupation; includes establishing educational institutions (TMA Pai) |
| 21 | Right to life, read to include right to education (Mohini Jain, Unni Krishnan) |
| 21A | Free and compulsory education for children 6 to 14; 86th Amendment (2002) |
| 28 | No religious instruction in institutions wholly maintained from State funds |
| 29 | Protection of language, script and culture of minorities; no denial of admission on religion, race, caste or language |
| 30(1), 30(2) | Minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions; State shall not discriminate in aid |
| 41, 45, 46 | DPSP: right to education within economic capacity; early childhood care for children below six (after 86th Amendment); promotion of educational interests of SCs, STs and weaker sections |
| 48A, 51A(g) | Environment protection (see topic 5) |
| 51A(k) | Duty of parents and guardians to provide education for children aged 6 to 14 |
| 350A | Mother-tongue instruction at primary stage for linguistic minorities |
| Scheduled Castes | 15 per cent; Articles 15(4), 46 |
| Scheduled Tribes | 7.5 per cent; Articles 15(4), 46 |
| Other Backward Classes (non-creamy layer) | 27 per cent; Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act 2006; Ashoka Kumar Thakur |
| Economically Weaker Sections | 10 per cent (family income below 8 lakh rupees a year as a general criterion); Article 15(6), 103rd Amendment |
| Persons with benchmark disabilities | 5 per cent; Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (21 categories) |
| 5th century CE | Nalanda (Kumaragupta I); Taxila earlier |
| 8th to 9th century | Vikramshila (Dharmapala) |
| c. 1193 | Nalanda sacked (Bakhtiyar Khalji) |
| 1781 / 1791 | Calcutta Madrasa / Banaras Sanskrit College |
| 1813 | Charter Act: one lakh rupees for education |
| 1835 | Macaulay's Minute; Bentinck resolution |
| 1847 | Roorkee engineering college |
| 1854 | Wood's Despatch |
| 1857 | Calcutta, Bombay, Madras universities |
| 1882 | Hunter Commission |
| 1904 | Indian Universities Act (Curzon) |
| 1916 / 1920 / 1922 | BHU / AMU / Delhi University |
| 1917 to 19 | Sadler Commission |
| 1937 | Wardha Basic Education |
| 1944 | Sargent Report |
| 1948 to 49 | Radhakrishnan Commission |
| 1951 | IIT Kharagpur |
| 1952 to 53 | Mudaliar Commission |
| 1953 / 1956 | UGC inaugurated / UGC Act; AIIMS Act |
| 1961 | NCERT; IITs Act; IIMs Calcutta and Ahmedabad; Advocates Act |
| 1964 to 66 | Kothari Commission |
| 1968 | First NPE |
| 1976 | 42nd Amendment (education to Concurrent List; Article 48A; 51A) |
| 1985 / 1986 | IGNOU / NPE 1986 |
| 1987 | AICTE Act; NLSIU |
| 1992 | Modified NPE and POA; Rehabilitation Council Act |
| 1993 | NCTE Act |
| 1994 | NAAC and NBA |
| 2002 / 2005 | 86th Amendment (Article 21A); TMA Pai (2002); Inamdar and Yash Pal cases (2005); 93rd Amendment (Article 15(5)) |
| 2005 to 09 | National Knowledge Commission |
| 2006 | Central Educational Institutions (Reservation) Act; IISERs |
| 2009 | RTE Act passed (in force 2010); Yash Pal Committee; Central Universities Act; NMEICT |
| 2013 | NSQF; RUSA; UGC B.Voc |
| 2015 | NIRF; Skill India; GIAN |
| 2017 | NTA; SWAYAM; Institutions of Eminence; HEFA; IIM Act |
| 2018 | Draft HECI Act; UGC graded autonomy; PMRF; NCVET; Study in India |
| 2019 | NMC Act; EWS reservation (103rd Amendment) |
| 2020 | NEP 2020 (29 July); Central Sanskrit Universities Act; UGC ODL regulations |
| 2021 | ABC (28 July) |
| 2022 | CUET; UGC dual degree and twinning regulations; PhD regulations |
| 2023 | ANRF Act; NCrF; UGC foreign campus regulations; PM-USHA |
| 2024 | NAAC binary accreditation; classical languages expanded to eleven; IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi |
| Dec 2025 | VBSA Bill introduced; sent to JPC |
| July 2026 | Bill still pending before JPC |
| Buddhist ordination | Pabbajja 8; Upasampada 20 |
| Kothari Commission | 10+2+3 pattern; 6 per cent of national income |
| NEP 2020 | 5+3+3+4; 50 per cent GER by 2035; 6 per cent of GDP; 3.5 crore seats |
| Academic Bank of Credits | 7 years validity; 40 credits per year; 1,200 hours; 120 and 160 credits |
| SWAYAM and IGNOU | SWAYAM: 40 per cent credit cap. IGNOU: one credit = 30 hours; 70:30 weightage |
| ODL regulations 2020 | NAAC 3.26 or NIRF top 100 |
| Twinning programmes | Foreign partner top 1,000; Indian partner NAAC 3.01 or NIRF top 100 |
| Foreign campus | Foreign university in the top 500 |
| Reservation in central institutions | SC 15, ST 7.5, OBC 27, EWS 10, PwBD 5 |
| Frameworks and bodies | NSQF: 10 levels; NMC: 4 boards; HECI: 4 verticals; VBSA JPC: 31 members (21 + 10) |
| Values and taxonomies | Five core values; Spranger's six values; Kohlberg's 3 levels and 6 stages; Krathwohl's 5 levels |
| Counts | Eleven classical languages; four biodiversity hotspots; 17 SDGs |
Where each fact is explained
Open the topic for the concept behind any line you cannot recall.
- 1 Institutions of Higher Learning and Education in Ancient India
- 2 Evolution of Higher Learning and Research in Post-Independence India
- 3 Oriental, Conventional and Non-Conventional Learning Programmes
- 4 Professional, Technical and Skill-Based Education
- 5 Value Education and Environmental Education
- 6 Policies, Governance and Administration
- 7 Background: Colonial Period, Constitution, Reservation and Issues
- 8 Quick Revision: Timeline, Numbers and Exam Technique
- 9 Verification Notes: What to Re-check Before the Exam
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