UGC and AICTE are two apex organisations that cater for the higher studies in India.
One of the main differences between University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), is that the later one basically deals with technical education.
When talking of UGC, it is the apex body that approves universities in the country. UGC provide funds for affiliated universities and colleges. The UGC also conducts exams, known as NET, for appointing teachers in colleges. The headquarters of UGC is in New Delhi, and there are six regional offices at Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata, Guwahati, Bhopal and Bangalore.
The AICTE is only a statutory body, which deals with co-ordinated development and proper planning of the technical education system in the country. All the Engineering, MBA and Pharmacy colleges are affiliated with the All India Council for Technical Education.
The AICTE, which was established in November 1945, has its headquarters in New Delhi. The UGC was established in 1956 as a statutory body of the Union Government. However, UGC was formally inaugurated by the Education, Natural Resources and Scientific Research Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, in 1953.