NCERT Gets Deemed University Status, Set to Expand Educational Research and Innovation

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been granted the status of an Institution Deemed to be University, giving the national education body a new role in higher education and research. The Ministry of Education confirmed the development on 10 August 2026, stating that the move will strengthen NCERT’s work in educational research, innovation and policy support.

NCERT’s application for the new status was examined by an expert committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the UGC Regulations for Institutions Deemed to be Universities, 2023. Following the committee’s recommendation, the Ministry of Education declared NCERT, New Delhi, an Institution Deemed to be University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, through a notification dated 30 March 2026.

The new status comes with an important condition. NCERT has been asked to take steps to start research programmes, doctoral programmes and innovative academic programmes. This could allow the organisation to expand beyond its established role in school education, textbooks, curriculum development and teacher training.

For students and researchers, the change could create more opportunities to study education as an academic and research field. Areas such as curriculum design, teaching methods, assessment, educational technology, teacher education and learning outcomes could gain greater attention through dedicated research programmes.

The move could also strengthen NCERT’s ability to work with universities, research institutions and education organisations in India and abroad. The Ministry of Education said the deemed university status would help NCERT collaborate with national and international agencies and reinforce its role as a think tank and national resource institution for school education.

NCERT has played a central role in India’s school education system since its establishment in 1961. It develops and publishes school textbooks, supports curriculum development, conducts educational research and provides academic and technical assistance to the Centre and state governments.

Its new status does not mean that NCERT will stop performing these existing functions. Instead, the change could add a stronger higher education and research dimension to its work. This could be particularly important as India continues to implement reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The UGC currently recognises deemed universities as degree-granting institutions. Unlike universities established through a Central or state Act, an Institution Deemed to be University is declared by the Central Government on the advice of the UGC under Section 3 of the UGC Act.

The development also comes at a time when India’s education system is placing greater emphasis on research, multidisciplinary learning and innovation. The UGC’s current framework for deemed universities includes objectives such as high-quality teaching and research, multidisciplinary education and innovation.

For NCERT, the next stage will be turning the new status into academic programmes and research that can have a wider impact on India’s education system. The focus will now be on how effectively it can use this new academic space to generate evidence, train researchers and develop ideas that improve teaching and learning across the country.