Bill proposes unified regulatory framework for Higher Education Institutions
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, proposing a major overhaul of India’s higher education regulatory framework in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
The Bill seeks to empower Higher Educational Institutions to achieve excellence through effective coordination and determination of academic standards. It follows the approval of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on December 12, for its introduction in Parliament.
Introduced under Entry 66 of the Union List of the Constitution, the Bill provides for the establishment of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan as an apex body, supported by three independent councils.
These include the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad as the Regulatory Council, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad as the Accreditation Council, and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad as the Standards Council. The proposed framework envisages repealing the University Grants Commission Act of 1956, the All India Council for Technical Education Act of 1987, and the National Council for Teacher Education Act of 1993, with their functions being subsumed under the new Adhishthan.
Under the Bill, all higher educational institutions presently under the purview of the Ministry of Education, UGC, AICTE and NCTE will come under the Adhishthan for determination of standards. The Council of Architecture will continue to function as a Professional Standard Setting Body as envisaged in NEP 2020, while the existing autonomy of Institutions of National Importance will be upheld.
The Bill aims to replace multiple regulatory approvals and inspections with a unified, technology-driven and faceless single window system based on public self-disclosure and trust-based regulation. A comprehensive public digital portal will require institutions to disclose information related to governance, finances, infrastructure, faculty, academic programmes and outcomes, which will also form the basis for accreditation.
According to the government, the proposed reforms are intended to simplify compliance, enhance transparency and accountability, and allow institutions to focus on academic excellence. The Bill also emphasises student-centric reforms, improved grievance redressal mechanisms, adoption of global best practices, and enhanced autonomy for high-performing institutions to foster innovation, research and multidisciplinary education.
(With PIB inputs)