Higher Education Bill may centralise powers in single regulator: Parliamentary panel

A parliamentary panel has raised concerns over the VBSA Bill's proposed single higher education regulator. It said wide powers and arbitrary penalties could affect institutional autonomy.

In Short

• Draft report reviewed the VBSA Bill introduced in Lok Sabha last December
• The proposal would replace UGC, AICTE and NCTE with one commission
• Panel said penalties must follow proven violations, not arbitrary regulatory action

A proposed law to overhaul India’s higher education regulatory system could lead to excessive concentration of powers in one central regulator and affect institutional autonomy, a joint committee of Parliament has observed.

The committee’s concerns are part of its draft report on the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December last year and later referred to the joint panel for review.

The bill proposes replacing existing regulatory bodies, including the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), with a single unified higher education regulator.

ONE REGULATOR, MANY QUESTIONS

The parliamentary panel said that while the proposed framework aims to simplify regulation, giving extensive powers to a single central body could result in bureaucratic or ideological overreach.

“The concentration of extensive regulatory powers in a single central regulator could lead to bureaucratic or ideological overreach, thereby affecting the institutional autonomy presently available under the existing UGC framework,” the committee noted in its draft report.

The panel also examined the graded penalty system proposed under the bill. It said penalties should not be imposed arbitrarily and must be linked to proven violations of rules and regulations.

The committee observed that the purpose of penalties should be to discourage institutions that repeatedly fail to follow norms. It also noted that the bill introduces individual and institutional accountability by allowing action against those responsible for violations.

PANEL SUGGESTS APPOINTMENT CHANGES

The committee accepted the proposal that the president and full-time members of the proposed council should be appointed by the President of India based on recommendations from a search-cum-selection committee.

However, for other members of the commission and councils, excluding ex-officio members and member secretaries, the panel suggested appointments should be made by the central government.

The committee said this could help avoid delays in appointments, which have affected several central institutions.

FOCUS ON NEP 2020 IMPLEMENTATION

The VBSA Bill aims to align higher education regulation with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Under the proposed structure, oversight will be divided among three specialised councils focusing on regulation, accreditation and academic standards.

The government has listed the bill for consideration and passage after the committee report is adopted. However, the panel’s observations highlight concerns around balancing stronger regulation with the autonomy of universities and higher education institutions.

(With PTI inputs)

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