The Union government is planning a sweeping overhaul of India’s higher education regulatory framework by 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) with a single umbrella authority.
According to a draft Bill proposed by the Ministry of Education, the new framework will establish a 12-member “Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Commission”, under which multiple councils will function. These include separate Regulatory, Accreditation, and Standards Councils, aimed at streamlining governance, reducing overlaps, and improving accountability in higher education.
The proposed commission is designed to bring uniformity and efficiency to regulation while clearly demarcating functions that are currently handled by multiple bodies. Notably, the Bill ensures that the grants-disbursal role currently performed by the UGC will continue, with the responsibility to be directly handled by the Ministry of Education.
The move aligns with the broader objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP), which calls for simplified regulation, enhanced institutional autonomy, and a focus on quality and outcomes. If implemented, the new commission is expected to mark one of the most significant reforms in India’s higher education governance in decades, reshaping how universities and colleges are regulated, assessed, and supported.
