Single higher education regulator planned under new HECI Bill

The government is set to push major changes in higher education regulation as the Higher Education Commission of India Bill 2025 is scheduled to be taken up during the winter session of Parliament beginning Dec 1.

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a single authority that will replace the University Grants Commission, the All India Council for Technical Education, and the National Council for Teacher Education.

The new body will be responsible for regulation, accreditation, funding, and setting academic standards across the higher education sector.

The plan aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, which recommends a unified framework to streamline oversight of colleges and universities.

The Bill is one of ten key items listed for discussion in the session that will continue until Dec 19.

In a written response in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Education said the reorganized system will support a more efficient and modern approach to governance.

Development of the proposal began in 2018 and has gone through several rounds of drafting and consultation.

At present, UGC oversees non technical higher education, AICTE handles technical programs, and NCTE regulates teacher education.

Merging these responsibilities under a single regulator is intended to simplify procedures and make the system more transparent.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been leading the effort to advance the Bill since 2021. The Ministry has created three committees to manage the transition.

One is focusing on setting up the new structure, another is studying the integration of datasets from the existing bodies, and a third is working on bringing professional councils into the new mechanism.

If approved, the HECI Bill is expected to resolve long-standing issues caused by multiple regulatory systems.

The new framework aims to offer uniform processes for universities and colleges, strengthen oversight, and raise the overall quality of higher education.