“The issue was considered in a meeting held in February and the commission noted that there is a genuine and urgent need to take up the issue of ‘Establishment of National Level Council of National Security Research & Studies’ in the national interest,” a senior UGC official was quoted as saying by a news agency.
“To consider other various issues like whether the proposed council be within the set-up of UGC or outside it, etc, it was resolved that a committee should consider the various aspects involved and suggest the way forward,” the official added.
Giving further information about the plan, the officials said that four central universities, including Allahabad University and Gujarat University, had approached the UGC requesting it to upgrade their existing departments on defense studies or national security studies into a department of national security studies.
“The commission examined the proposal and has approved it. It is now the HRD ministry that has to finally give their approval,” the UGC official added.
After the HRD ministry gives the final approval for the upgradation, then they will be able to receive the financial grant to carry out research and studies at post-graduate and doctoral levels in the field of safety and security.
