Founded in the year 1956, the University Grants Commission (UGC) was set up by the Indian Union government in accordance to the UGC Act 1956, under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education.
As a statutory body, the objectives of the Commission are: coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. UGC provides recognition to universities in India and disburses funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
The motto of UGC is Gyan-Vigyan Vimuktaye, meaning – Knowledge Liberates. The motto has been depicted in its Logo in Devanagari script. The Logo has Ashoka Chakra at the top and symbolic representation of an open book, along with shape of a flying bird, thereby depicting the motto.