The National Policy on Education (NPE, 1986) recognized the need for improving the quality of teaching and proposed to provide opportunities for professional and career development so that teachers may fulfill their role and responsibility within the system of Higher Education.

In order to fulfill the objectives of the NPE, the UGC has prepared an action plan and established Academic Staff Colleges in various Universities in the country with the broad following aims and objectives:

 To make crucial link between teacher motivation and the quality of Education

 To improve the status of the teacher by providing opportunities for   professional and career development

 To enhance the motivation skills and knowledge of teacher through systematic orientation in specific subjects, techniques and        methodologies

 To help teachers fulfill the role and responsibility within the system of higher education

 To inculcate right kind of values among teachers to take initiatives for  innovative and creative work

In order to fulfill the objectives of the NPE, the UGC-Academic Staff Colleges are conducting five kinds of following programmes:-

 i) Orientation programs of 4 weeks duration for all new entrants at the  level of lecturers

ii) Refresher courses of 3 weeks duration for serving teachers (research scholars and Post doctoral fellows)

iii) Short term courses for the senior academician and    administrators, HODs, Deans and College Principals

iv) Professional development programs of 6 days duration for senior teachers like Professors and Associate professors

v) Six day professional development programs for non-academic groups