‘Conscious’ decision to separate funding from regulator, say officials on higher education Bill, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025 proposes separating funding powers from the regulatory authority for higher education.
• The Bill aims to replace the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE with a single apex commission, the VBSA.
• The Ministry of Education will handle grant disbursal, previously managed by the UGC.
• The government intends to have intense discussions and encourages suggestions on the Bill's provisions through a 31-member joint committee of Parliament.

Detailed Insights:

• The decision to separate funding from regulatory functions aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's suggestion to minimize conflicts of interest.
• The proposed law segregates the roles of regulation, accreditation, and standards-setting through autonomous councils coordinated by the VBSA.
• Institutional performance and regulatory compliance will be major factors in deciding the quantum of funds, but a "holistic view" will be considered.
• Concerns have been raised by teachers' and students' associations regarding potential political influence over grants if directly controlled by the Education Ministry.
• The government acknowledged the NEP 2020's suggestion for a separate council for grant disbursal but deemed it unfeasible due to the multiple funding sources for higher education institutes.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Regulation: The creation, monitoring, and enforcement of rules and standards within a specific sector.
• Accreditation: The formal recognition of an institution or program as meeting required quality standards.
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A comprehensive framework to transform India's education system.