New Delhi : The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports has expressed concerns about the slow progress in implementing the Institutions of Eminence (IoE) scheme and has directed the Ministry of Education to devise a time-bound roadmap for notifying the remaining institutions under the programme.
In its action-taken report, the Committee highlighted that the Ministry’s earlier response to its recommendations had only outlined the procedural framework without addressing substantive issues raised by the panel. The Committee submitted its 381st Report on the Government’s action taken regarding recommendations from the 364th Report on Demands for Grants (2025-26) in June.
Launched in 2017, the IoE scheme aims to identify 10 public and 10 private higher education institutions to develop as world-class teaching and research centres. However, the panel noted that after nearly eight years, only 12 of the intended 20 institutions have been officially notified as Institutions of Eminence.
Previously, during the examination of the Department of Higher Education’s Demands for Grants, the Committee had recommended speeding up the notification process for the remaining institutions. The Ministry acknowledged the observations and explained the regulatory structure of the scheme.
The Ministry stated that the IoE scheme grants substantial academic, administrative, and financial autonomy to selected institutions to help them become globally competitive universities, providing financial support to public institutions while private ones receive regulatory autonomy.
Institutions seeking IoE status are evaluated by an Empowered Experts Committee (EEC), which reviews applications and recommends candidates to the University Grants Commission (UGC). The UGC then forwards names to the Ministry of Education, which signs a Memorandum of Understanding with chosen institutions before formal notification.
The Ministry confirmed that this process applies to all applicants within the current regulatory framework. However, the Committee criticised the Ministry for not explaining why the scheme remains incomplete despite its long duration.
“The Committee notes that the reply in the above recommendations is merely a repetition of the procedural framework of the IoE Scheme and does not address the concerns raised by the Committee,” the report stated. It further observed that “even eight years after the launch of the scheme, only twelve out of the mandated twenty Institutions of Eminence have been notified.”
In addition to concerns about implementation pace, the Committee revisited its recommendation to broaden the scheme’s scope. It noted that several prominent institutions, especially those excelling in social sciences, humanities and development studies, remain excluded.
The panel specifically mentioned Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), describing it as “widely regarded as among the world’s foremost centres for research in social sciences, humanities and development studies,” and suggested the government consider expanding the scheme to include such institutions.
In response, the Ministry again acknowledged the recommendation and reiterated that applications are evaluated by the Empowered Experts Committee, approved by the UGC, and notified by the Ministry.
The Committee expressed dissatisfaction, observing that “the Committee’s recommendation regarding expansion of the Scheme to include globally recognised institutions of the country excelling in social sciences, humanities and developmental studies, such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, has not been addressed by the Department.”
Reaffirming its position, the panel recommended the Ministry prepare a time-bound roadmap for identifying and notifying the remaining eight Institutions of Eminence. It also advised the Department of Higher Education to conduct a feasibility study on expanding the scheme’s scope to include other globally recognised institutions.
The Committee stated that these measures would support the original aim of the Institutions of Eminence Scheme, which is a flagship initiative to develop globally competitive Indian universities through greater autonomy, improved governance, and enhanced academic and research capabilities.
