How the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill Seeks to Reset Higher Education Governance

When the Tamil poet-sage “Tiruvalluvar” wrote in the Thirukkural that education is meaningless unless it teaches one how to live in society, he was articulating a vision of learning that goes beyond degrees and employability. That idea sits at the heart of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and now finds legislative expression in the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 15, 2025. The Bill seeks to reimagine how India governs higher education — not merely to expand it, but to make it socially relevant, outcome-oriented, and globally credible.

Why higher education regulation needs a reset

India today has one of the world’s largest higher education systems, with over a thousand universities, tens of thousands of colleges, and crores of learners. Expansion, however, has not been matched by regulatory reform. Over decades, multiple statutory bodies with overlapping mandates have emerged, creating a dense web of approvals, inspections, and compliance requirements.

What began as oversight has often become over-regulation. Institutions routinely devote disproportionate time and resources to paperwork, inspections, and procedural conformity, leaving less room for teaching quality, research, innovation, and curriculum renewal. Collaboration across disciplines or with industry becomes harder, and agility — essential in a fast-changing economy — is lost.

How NEP 2020 framed the solution

The NEP 2020 acknowledged this structural problem and proposed a “light but tight” regulatory framework — one that is firm on standards, transparency, and accountability, but minimal in micromanagement. The emphasis was on autonomy for well-performing institutions, clear separation of functions, and regulation focused on outcomes rather than inputs.

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill is designed as the legal architecture to translate that vision into practice.

What the Bill proposes structurally

Anchored in Entry 66 of the Union List in the Seventh Schedule, the Bill proposes the creation of an apex umbrella body — the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan — with three distinct verticals: one each for regulation, accreditation, and academic standards. By clearly separating these functions, the Bill aims to reduce conflicts of interest and enhance institutional credibility.

A key provision is the proposed repeal of three cornerstone laws — the University Grants Commission Act, 1956; the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987; and the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993. Their replacement with a unified framework is intended to simplify governance and bring coherence to standard-setting across disciplines and institutions.

The role of technology and public disclosure

At the heart of the new regulatory design is a technology-enabled single-window system built on public self-disclosure. Institutions will be required to place key information — on governance, finances, infrastructure, faculty, programmes, and outcomes — in the public domain.

This shifts regulation from episodic inspections to continuous transparency. Accreditation and accountability would be grounded in verified data rather than subjective discretion, reducing delays, rent-seeking, and uncertainty for institutions.

What changes this could bring for students and institutions

If implemented well, the Bill could unlock three major outcomes. First, it could enable youth empowerment at scale. By reducing regulatory bottlenecks, institutions may expand capacity faster, improving access and raising the Gross Enrolment Ratio. More importantly, freed from excessive procedural burdens, universities can focus on interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and lifelong upskilling.

Students are positioned as active stakeholders. Structured feedback systems and grievance redress mechanisms allow learners to influence academic quality and governance, reinforcing accountability from within.

Balancing global standards with Indian priorities

The Bill also seeks to enhance global credibility without mimicking foreign models. International standing today depends on outcomes — research culture, ethics, student experience, and institutional governance. A coherent national standards framework can facilitate faculty and student mobility, enable global research collaboration, and attract international learners, while retaining Indian talent.

This approach aligns with Atmanirbharta in higher education — not insulation from the world, but confident engagement on India’s own terms.

Towards smarter, trust-based regulation

By combining common standards with differentiated autonomy, the Bill envisions a system where diversity can flourish without diluting quality. Well-performing institutions and institutions of eminence gain greater freedom, while transparency and outcome-based evaluation ensure accountability.

The ultimate objective is smarter regulation: minimal yet effective, focused on learner welfare, institutional integrity, and national priorities rather than procedural compliance.

The larger idea behind the reform

At its core, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill is about aligning education with citizenship. When regulation supports autonomy, innovation, and accountability in equal measure, higher education can produce not just skilled workers, but socially conscious leaders.

In doing so, it echoes the wisdom of Tiruvalluvar and advances the NEP’s promise — building institutions capable of nurturing citizens who can lead India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 with competence, ethics, and social responsibility.