How the proposed higher education bill proposes for a watershed change in the Higher Education Sector in India?

The Ministry of Human Resource Development is planning to introduce a bill in the upcoming winter session of parliament. The bill will overhaul the higher education segment of India.

Features of the Bill

• The bill provides for setting up of Higher Education Commission of India as a single regulator to take over regulatory functions of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
• The bill proposes to bring almost all areas of higher education — including technical, architectural and legal courses under the ambit of a single umbrella body, Higher Education Commission of India.
• The government has kept the Medical education outside the ambit of the proposed Higher Education Commission of India.
• The bill proposes for setting up a new autonomous body to supervise the doling out of funds to higher education institutions.
• The bill also provides for representation for states in the Higher Education Commission of India to uphold the autonomy of states.

UGC and AICTE are autonomous bodies which are currently overseeing the accreditation, regulation and maintenance of teaching, examination and research standards for universities and technical education institutions across the country. These academic functions will now be moved to the proposed Higher Education Commission of India.

The AICTE and UGC are also responsible for disbursing public funds to Universities and colleges. It is said a special purposes vehicle for fund disbursal to college and universities.