Decentralisation in governance – UGC NET Question

Decentralisation refers to the process of shifting authority and responsibility for decision-making from central bodies to more local units. In higher education, this can mean giving universities, colleges and departments more control over curricula, staffing and budgeting. The stem describes exactly such a transfer of authority to places closer to implementation, which is a classic definition of decentralisation. Therefore, Option A is the correct answer.

Option A:
Decentralisation is often justified on the grounds that local actors have better information about their specific needs and can respond more quickly. It is closely linked to institutional autonomy and participatory governance, key themes in higher education reform. These ideas are consistent with the description given in the question.

Option B:
Centralisation concentrates authority at a higher or central level, often resulting in uniform rules and less local flexibility. This is the opposite of what the stem describes, so this option is incorrect.

Option C:
Bureaucratisation refers to the growth of administrative procedures and formal rules, which can occur in centralised or decentralised systems. It does not specifically capture the idea of moving decision-making closer to the ground level.

Option D:
Militarisation involves organising institutions along military lines or giving greater power to security forces. It has no direct connection to governance reforms in higher education described by the transfer of authority to academic units.