Bill to set up single higher education commission tabled, sent to JPC

The introduction of the bill faced sharp resistance from the opposition

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill that seeks to set up a single regulator for higher education in India was referred to a joint committee of Parliament for further scrutiny after several legislators from the Opposition raised concerns over “centralisation of authority.”

 

Introduced in the Lok Sabha by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Bill seeks to establish a commission ‘Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan’ aimed at centralising regulation in the sector and restructuring the existing system by consolidating multiple regulatory councils under a single commission.

 

The bill was opposed by several members of the Opposition parties. Congress MP Manish Tewari opposed the move, arguing that the proposed legislation gives the Centre excessive authority in shaping education policy, thereby eroding the powers of the state governments and higher education institutions.

 

“It also interferes in administrative matters of institutions, robbing them of their independence in day-to-day affairs and appointments,” Tewari said.

 

In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that during the Business Advisory Committee meeting, several MPs had emphasized wider consultations on the Bill and therefore, the government has proposed to send the Bill to a joint parliamentary committee for wider consultation. The minister also asked the Speaker to appoint members for the constitution of the committee.

 

Under the proposed structure, the Commission will function through three distinct wings: a Regulatory Council, an Accreditation Council and a Standards Council.

 

The 12-member Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan will include the presidents of these three councils, the Union higher education secretary, two eminent and distinguished academicians not below the rank of professor from state higher educational institutions, five eminent experts and a member secretary.

 

According to the regulation, the commission shall also have its own fund and all sums which may, from time to time, be granted to it by the Centre.

 

Experts believe that the Bill will replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), bringing all non-medical and non-law higher education under one powerful umbrella.

 

While several institutes have welcomed the move, many believe that its impact will depend on whether the new system respects institutional diversity and academic autonomy.

 

Uma Bhardwaj, vice-chancellor at the Noida International University, told Business Standard that the Bill could change how universities operate, by replacing the current model that is based on a system of affiliation and procedural compliance with a more performance-based paradigm.

 

“If implemented with clarity and institutional trust, the proposed commission can strengthen quality benchmarks, improve the accreditation ecosystem, and create greater transparency for students and institutions alike,” PG Babu, vice-chancellor at Bengaluru’s Vidyashilp University said.

 

On the other hand, a professor with the Noida-based university told Business Standard that with India’s heterogenous higher education landscape, a stable regulatory philosophy that enables innovation rather than prescribing uniformity will be essential for the Bill to achieve its objectives.

 

“A regulator’s purpose is not to micromanage institutional behaviour, but to create conditions under which quality naturally evolves. The success of the commission will depend on whether it can embed this principle at the core of its design,” Babu added.

 

The proposed legislation lays out an ambitious plan to create a unified framework for regulation, accreditation and standard-setting in higher education.  It also emphasises outcome-based education and the integration of Bharatiya knowledge systems, aligning with the government’s broader vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

 

The move comes after the new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 had called the regulatory system “in need of a complete overhaul”, stressing the need for distinct, empowered bodies handling distinct roles.

 

Efforts to create a single regulator had begun with the draft Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill released in 2018, but momentum picked up again after Pradhan took charge as Education Minister in 2021.

 

However, it was withdrawn after facing criticism for centralising power and removing the UGC funding role.