Catering to human resource development is one of the prime aims of education and creation of conditions that contribute to equity and access to opportunities for higher education is primarily linked to development of collegiate education. With this in view, more than twenty years ago, University Grants Commission (UGC) had recommended the setting up of College Development Councils in affiliating universities in order to co-ordinate the development of colleges and to facilitate the implementation of its schemes geared towards improvement of standards of higher education. In pursuance of this it was in 1987 that College Development Council was set up in Himachal Pradesh University with the help of the UGC. Since then it has continued to act as a clearing house of information on UGC assisted activities and initiatives. It acts as a facilitator and catalyst for the flow of its assistance in favour of eligible colleges through its active liaison with the UGC which enables them to take maximum advantage of its different schemes.

In the context of continuing demand for better performance, urge for excellence and upgradation of academic inputs, this institution takes care of these requirements. Besides issues of relevance of education, increasing selectivity, competition for funds and urge to cater to demographic changes, its support mechanism and interventionist inputs play an important role in comprehensively addressing these issues. While disseminating information on various UGC schemes it ensures better linkages and liaison through more interactive communication, understanding and co-operation among the university constituents, the state government, the colleges and the UGC.

Higher education has impressively extended its reach in Himachal Pradesh during the last two decades despite its geo-physical difficulties and resource limitations. At present it has sixty conventional colleges (annexure-I) with an effective enrolment of over 64,000 students with a faculty strength of about 1600 teachers in different disciplines. Besides this we have nineteen single faculty (Sanskrit) associated colleges (annexure-II) and seven other professional colleges (annexure-III) in the faculties of Engineering, Ayurveda, Medical and Dental Sciences. In terms of flow of UGC assistance, thirty four of our eligible colleges stand suitably addressed with relevant schemes with a corresponding Plan Grant of over three crores available up to the year 2002. Vocational courses being an area of contemporary relevance to correlate education with emerging occupational patterns and employability, sixteen of our colleges run vocational courses with UGC assistance of more than a crore available to them (annexure-IV). Besides this thirty two of our colleges have been provided Computer facilities by the UGC (annexure V).

Our College Development Council consists of thirty three members and it generally meets twice in an academic year to interact on collegiate matters and to monitor implementation of various UGC assisted schemes. It maintains a reliable database of information on all related matters pertaining to courses, faculty, enrolment, assistance profile etc., of each of the colleges in the State. It has a full time Dean of Colleges-cum-Director and support staff to carry out its administrative and academic functions in the task and planning, coordination and development of collegiate education in the State.

University Grants Commission has a number of schemes for the upgradation of the colleges, faculty, students besides other social outreach programmes which have been listed in annexure-VI. Detailed information on any of these schemes can be procured from Dean of Colleges-cum-Director, College Development Council, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla -  171005.