India, Feb. 1 -- When India became independent, it inherited an education system which was rooted in a colonial mindset and was designed to serve the British Empire. A handful of elite institutions existed, but most of the country lacked access to quality higher education. Universities followed different standards, degrees had no uniform value, and funding was uncertain and politically driven. There was no single national body to ensure that higher education grew in an organised, credible and equitable way.

It was in this context that the University Grants Commission (UGC) was born. Initially established in 1953 as an advisory body and later given statutory status through the UGC Act of 1956, the UGC was designed to act as the central pi...