Parliament Question: Courses on disaster management in Universities in Bihar

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2137 ANSWERED ON- 11/03/2026 Courses on disaster management in Universities in Bihar 2137 # Shri Sanjay Yadav: Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that UGC issued guidelines on 24 February, 2022 for the promotion of disaster management education; (b) whether it is a fact that Universities in Bihar are yet to start regular courses on disaster management, even though the State is highly vulnerable to floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters; (c) the reasons for delay in the commencement of the curriculum in Bihar; (d) whether there is any time-bound plan for implementing it in the States; (e) whether there is any consideration to make it a compulsory subject in higher education; and (f) whether the progress of UGC guidelines has been evaluated in the States? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (f): Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Centre and States are equally responsible for providing quality education to all. As per the information received from University Grants Commission (UGC), the UGC vide letter dated 24.02.2022 has disseminated information to the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) regarding the model curriculums on disaster risk reduction and management formulated by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), Ministry of Home Affairs. The UGC has requested all HEIs and their affiliated colleges/institutions to initiate courses on disaster risk reduction and management at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Subsequently, vide letters dated 30.07.2025 and 29.01.2026, UGC has further requested HEIs for implementation of disaster management initiatives. Further, the Universities are autonomous institutions governed by their respective Acts, Statutes & Ordinances. They offer programs at undergraduate & postgraduate levels and decide their curricula with the approval of their respective statutory authorities. *****