The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India is a statutory organisation set up by the Union government in 1956, charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized university and collegs. Prof. Ved Prakash, a noted academician and education administrator, is the incumbent Chairman of UGC, India. Its headquarters are in New Delhi and six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.
UGC was recommended in 1945 and formed in 1946 to oversee the work of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras and, Delhi. In 1947, the Committee was entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with all the then existing Universities. After independence, the University Education Commission was set up in 1948 under the Chairmanship of S.Radakrishna and it recommended that the UGC be reconstituted on the general model of the University Grants Commission of the United kingdom.
UGC was formally inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalm Azad the Minister of Education, Natural Resources and Scientific Research on 28 December 1953.
The UGC was however, formally established in November 1956, by an Act of Parliament as a statutory body of the Government of India. In order to ensure effective region-wise coverage throughout the country, the UGC has decentralised its operations by setting up six regional centres at Pune,, Hydrabad, Kolkta, Bhopal, Guwathi and Banglore. The head office of the UGC is located Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in New Delhi, with two additional bureaus operating from 35, Feroze Shah Road and the South Campus of University of Delhi as well.UGC Act 1956