In a significant move to reinforce the alignment of higher education with national development goals, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has once again urged Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to actively participate in the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA). This initiative, backed by the Ministry of Education, aims to integrate academic institutions with rural communities to address development challenges through knowledge, research, and innovation.
🌱 What is Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA)?
UBA is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, with its primary objective being to foster a strong connection between HEIs and rural India. The goal is to channel the expertise of academic institutions to identify and solve problems in rural areas, thereby fostering sustainable development, community engagement, and social responsibility.
Launched in 2014 and currently coordinated nationally by IIT Delhi, UBA now boasts participation from over 4,274 institutions, including IITs, NITs, IISERs, central and state universities, and colleges.
📢 UGC’s 2025 Call to Action
In its latest communication dated 13th August 2025 (F. No.: 1-4/2018(UBA)), the UGC, through Prof. Manish R. Joshi (Secretary), reminded institutions of its previous directives (dated 29th December 2022 and 28th October 2024) urging them to join UBA and implement the guidelines of “Fostering Social Responsibility & Community Engagement in Higher Education Institutions 2.0.”
The UGC emphasized three critical action points:
- Adopt the UGC Guidelines promoting community engagement
- Offer the two-credit MOOC course on “Community Engagement and Social Responsibility” on SWAYAM
👉 Access the course here - Participate in a Google Form-based survey assessing the status of UBA and CBPR (Community-Based Participatory Research) initiatives
👉 Submit feedback here
Deadline for submission: 20th August 2025
🎯 Why This Matters
This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which places strong emphasis on community-centric learning and social responsibility. UBA offers a structured framework through which HEIs can translate their research and innovation into tangible outcomes for rural upliftment.
By participating in UBA, institutions:
- Bridge the rural-urban divide
- Develop student empathy and social consciousness
- Strengthen grassroots innovation and local governance
- Contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
🧭 How to Join or Get Help
Institutions not yet enrolled in UBA are strongly encouraged to register via the UBA portal:
🔗 https://unnatbharatabhiyan.gov.in
For support, HEIs can contact:
Prof. Virendra Kumar Vijay
National Coordinator, UBA, IIT Delhi
📞 Phone: 011-26596451 / 011-26596351
📧 Email: uba.nci@iitd.ac.in
Additionally, 50 Regional Coordinating Institutes (RCIs) across India are available to offer localized support and guidance. The list includes premier institutions like IITs, NITs, and universities across all states.
🌐 Conclusion
The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is more than just a programme—it is a movement to reorient higher education towards meaningful nation-building. The UGC’s latest directive is a reminder that academia has a crucial role to play in shaping inclusive, sustainable rural futures.
The time to act is now. HEIs must embrace this opportunity to embed social responsibility into the heart of education—because real learning goes beyond the classroom, into the very heart of India.