HECI Bill Likely In Winter Session To Replace UGC, AICTE, NCTE With Single Regulator

A proposal to set up a single authority for higher education, replacing bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), is expected to be taken up when Parliament meets for its winter session starting December 1. According to a bulletin from the Lok Sabha, the government plans to introduce the Higher Education Commission of India Bill, which will create the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).

This body was first proposed in the National Education Policy as part of a broader plan to reshape the oversight of universities and colleges. Under the new system, HECI will take over responsibilities currently handled by the UGC, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

At

present, the UGC looks after non-technical universities, the AICTE supervises technical institutions, and the NCTE manages teacher education. With the new arrangement, these functions will be brought under one authority, while medical and law programmes will continue to be regulated separately.

The proposed commission will concentrate on three major areas: the regulation of institutions, accreditation, and ensuring professional standards. Financial decisions, however, will stay with the administrative ministry so that regulatory work and funding remain distinct.

Plan For Unified Higher Education Body Back In Focus

The plan to set up a single regulator for higher education has been under discussion for years. In 2018, the government released a draft HECI Bill for public feedback, proposing to replace the UGC Act and introduce a new regulatory framework. The draft did not advance, but the idea stayed alive. It gathered pace again in 2021 after Dharmendra Pradhan became Union Education Minister, and work continued in line with the National Education Policy.

The NEP-2020 stresses the need to overhaul the regulatory structure so that universities and colleges can function more effectively. It recommends separate bodies for regulation, accreditation, funding and academic standards, each with clear responsibilities.

With the HECI Bill now headed to Parliament, the proposed changes will be examined by lawmakers, who will decide how this long-discussed reform should move forward and what it could mean for the future of the higher education system.