Last Updated:July 16, 2026, 22:37 IST

The draft report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee is to be adopted on the first day of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, i.e., July 20

The most significant objection related to the proposed abolition of the UGC, AICTE and NCTE and the creation of a single regulator. Stakeholders argued that the move could lead to excessive centralisation of powers, with appointments, rule-making and oversight remaining under the control of the central government, potentially affecting academic autonomy and the federal structure. (Representational image/Getty)

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is slated to endorse the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, while recommending several safeguards to address concerns raised by universities, state governments and education experts over centralisation of powers, cooperative federalism and institutional autonomy. The draft report is to be adopted on the first day of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, i.e., July 20.

The Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on December 15, 2025, seeks to overhaul India’s higher education regulatory framework by replacing the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) with a single umbrella body, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan.

The proposed legislation aims to implement the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by creating three independent councils for regulation, accreditation and academic standard-setting. According to the Government, the reform is intended to reduce regulatory overlap, simplify compliance and improve the quality and global competitiveness of higher education institutions.

Soon after its introduction, the Bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, a move approved by the Lok Sabha on December 15 and concurred with by the Rajya Sabha on December 18, 2025.

The 31-member Committee, chaired by Dr D Purandeswari, was constituted on February 10, 2026, comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. Initially mandated to submit its report during the first part of the Budget Session 2026, the Committee was later granted an extension until the last week of the Monsoon Session after seeking additional time to consult educational institutions, academicians, industry bodies and other stakeholders.

During its deliberations, the Committee interacted with 114 stakeholders, many of whom supported the objective of streamlining higher education regulation but flagged several concerns over the proposed framework.

The most significant objection related to the proposed abolition of the UGC, AICTE and NCTE and the creation of a single regulator. Stakeholders argued that the move could lead to excessive centralisation of powers, with appointments, rule-making and oversight remaining under the control of the central government, potentially affecting academic autonomy and the federal structure.

Another major concern was that the Bill did not adequately reflect the principle of cooperative federalism, as state governments have a limited role despite State universities constituting the majority of higher education institutions in the country.

Concerns were also raised over the dilution of the UGC’s existing consultative process, with stakeholders pointing out that the proposed legislation does not expressly mandate consultation with universities before framing regulations or conducting inspections.

Several institutions also expressed apprehension over bringing Institutions of National Importance, including IITs, IIMs, NITs and IISERs, within the ambit of the new law, arguing that it could dilute their statutory autonomy. Questions were also raised over the absence of a separate Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC), one of the four verticals envisaged under the NEP 2020, and over the use of Hindi nomenclature for the proposed Commission and Councils.

After examining these concerns, the Committee broadly endorsed the Government’s reform proposal.

It supported the creation of a single higher education regulator, observing that the existing framework requires institutions to comply with 54 separate regulations, which could be rationalised into 12 unified regulations, thereby reducing duplication and easing compliance.

However, the Committee recommended several safeguards. It called for the structured representation of states and union territories in the Commission and its Councils, while clarifying that state universities would continue to function under their respective state laws.

The Committee also recommended making stakeholder consultation a statutory requirement before framing regulations, standards or inspection mechanisms, instead of leaving the process to subordinate legislation.

To address concerns over premier institutions, it recommended retaining explicit provisions protecting the autonomy of Institutions of National Importance and making consultation with such institutions mandatory while framing regulations affecting them.

It further suggested that the proposed Commission and Councils adopt dual Hindi-English nomenclature in all official communications to ensure wider accessibility and international recognition.

Overall, while the Committee acknowledged concerns over centralisation, it concluded that the Bill does not undermine academic autonomy or cooperative federalism. Instead, it endorsed the unified regulatory model proposed under the Bill, while recommending stronger statutory safeguards to ensure transparency, consultation, State participation and institutional independence.

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