What is Shiksha Adhishthan Bill that proposes to scrap UGC, AICTE?

The Bill seeks to set up a new body called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan, which will set standards, coordinate policies and support institutions

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha. The Bill proposes a single regulator for higher education, replacing existing bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

 

The Bill seeks to set up a new body called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan. This body will set standards, coordinate policies and support institutions. It is aimed at providing universities more freedom to run their own affairs, while maintaining quality through a clear and transparent accreditation system.

What does the Shiksha Adhishthan Bill propose?

The Bill provides for a 12-member commission with three main wings: the Regulatory Council, the Accreditation Council and the Standards Council. Members will include the heads of the three councils, the Union higher education secretary, two senior professors from state universities, five experts, and a member secretary. All appointments will be made by the central government.

What will the Accreditation Council do?

According to the Bill, the Accreditation Council will assess and rate colleges and universities through a common quality framework. It will use online and technology-driven tools, approve and deregister accreditation agencies, monitor their performance, make accreditation outcomes public and recommend penalties for violations. The council will also work towards ensuring that all higher education institutions are accredited.

What role will the Standards Council play?

The Standards Council will define academic quality benchmarks. It will set learning outcomes, frame guidelines to integrate vocational education with higher education, and determine levels and nomenclature for certificates and diplomas. The council will also guide curriculum design and pedagogy, promote Indian knowledge systems and languages, and recommend minimum qualifications for faculty and staff.

How will the Regulatory Council function?

The Regulatory Council will oversee compliance and transparency. Institutions will be required to disclose information on finances, audits, faculty, courses and academic outcomes. The council will act against financial or administrative irregularities, address student grievances, prevent commercialisation of education, and prescribe conditions for foreign universities operating in India.

What penalties does the Bill prescribe?

The Bill empowers the Regulatory Council to impose graded penalties. A first violation will attract a notice seeking corrective action. Failure to comply can result in a minimum fine of ₹10 lakh.

 

For a second violation, fines can go up to ₹30 lakh, along with measures such as removal of responsible officials, curtailment of autonomy or stoppage of grants. Repeated violations can attract fines of ₹75 lakh or more, and may lead to suspension of degree-awarding powers, cancellation of affiliation or closure of the institution.

 

Setting up a college or university without government approval can attract a fine of at least ₹2 crore and immediate closure.

How will the new commission replace UGC and AICTE?

Once the Bill is implemented, the laws governing the UGC Act, 1956, the AICTE Act, 1987, and the NCTE Act, 1993 will be repealed and the existing bodies dissolved. Their rules and standards will continue to apply until replaced by new regulations issued by the commission.

What happens during the transition period?

Clause 54 of the Bill states that until the commission and its councils are fully operational, the central government will appoint interim leadership. These temporary arrangements will last up to two years or until the new bodies are constituted, whichever is earlier.

How much control will the Centre retain?

The Bill gives the central government overriding powers. If the government believes that the commission or any council is not functioning properly or is repeatedly ignoring directions, it can, with the President’s approval, suspend and replace the body for up to six months.