UGC Asked Vice-Chancellors to Include Anti-Corruption Studies in Syllabus

In an attempt to curb the problem of corruption and to eradicate it from the nation, the academic institutions will also step in, alongside government, for the anti-corruption initiative. They would include the subject matter in their curriculum.

In a recent letter to vice-chancellors of varsities spread across the country, the University Grants Commission (UGC), on the advice of the Ministry for Human Resource Development, asked them to mull over the addition of a subject on anti-corruption in the syllabus of their college.

The letter written and sent by Upamanya Basu, financial adviser of the UGC, on 29 May had asked the vice-chancellors of higher education institutes to consider upon adding the topic or a subject on anti-corruption studies in related subjects such as law, public administration, human rights etc.

The letter had also urged the Universities’ administration to think over carrying out researches and related work in this field.

The letter by Upamanya Basu had mentioned that the Union government of India is keenly involved in the activities of the Austria-based International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), which offers a postgraduate programme in anti-corruption studies, hence to fortify the participation for combating the problem of corruption, the human resource development ministry's department of higher education has thought of including the subject 'anti-corruption' in the college’s syllabus as well.

Set up as an international organisation in 2011, the IACA is a joint enterprise of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, the European Anti-Fraud Office, Austria and other stakeholders. India ratified and acceded to its founding treaty in mid-2013.