Prakash Javadekar told a news agency in an interview that UGC will soon come up with a proposal which will make the printing on Father's name on the degree document optional.
"We are okay with the idea. Whether the student wants to mention mother's name or father's name should be his or her choice," Mr Javadekar said in the interview.
"We like the concept and have no objection to it. The UGC will work on it soon," he added.
This suggestion was made by the Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi and HRD ministry in principal have agreed to the decision.Such concerns were raised by single mothers following which, Menaka Gandhi wrote to Mr. Javadekar and asked him to change the rule which requires Father's name to be mandatory on the degree certificates of the students.
"I have been approached by several women who are separated from their husbands and who face problems getting degree certificates issued for their children without their father's name," Ms Gandhi said in the letter.
In the letter Gandhi mentioned that breaking of marriages is one reality and the rules must reflect it. "Keeping in view the sensitivity of the single/separated mother, we need to make a provision for this purpose by changing rules/guidelines," she said in the letter.
Last year on the request by MS Gandhi, Ministry of External Affairs revised the passport application rules and announced that the name of only one parent is required to apply for the passport.