Joint panel gets time till Monsoon Session to report on UGC replacement Bill, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• The Joint Committee of Parliament will submit its report on the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 by the end of the Monsoon Session.
• The Bill seeks to replace multiple higher education regulators with a single commission, aligning with the National Education Policy, 2020.
• The 31-member committee, led by D. Purandeswari (BJP), was formed after the Bill's introduction in December.
• Opposition MPs have raised concerns about potential executive overreach and infringement on federalism.

Detailed Insights:

• The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 aims to consolidate higher education regulation under one umbrella.
• Concerns have been raised regarding potential impacts on institutional autonomy and federal principles.
• The committee includes members from both Lok Sabha (20) and Rajya Sabha (10), with the BJP holding the majority.
• The delay in forming the Secretariat has pushed the report submission deadline to the Monsoon Session.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Education Policy 2020: A comprehensive framework to transform India's education system.
• Federalism: A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.
• Executive Overreach: Actions by the executive branch that exceed its constitutional or legal powers.