Higher education Bill puts focus on simplifying governance, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha to establish a single higher education commission.
• The Bill aims to merge the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
• The proposed commission will consist of three councils: the Regulatory Council, the Standards Council, and the Accreditation Council.
• The Bill will apply to IITs, IIMs, NITs, IISERs, and Central and state universities, excluding medical, legal, and dental institutions.

Detailed Insights:

• The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan will coordinate among the three councils to authorize institutions to grant degrees, set learning outcomes, and supervise accreditation.
• Currently, the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE independently govern higher education by authorizing institutions and setting course standards.
• The Regulatory Council will not disburse grants; the Education Ministry will handle funding, while the council can impose penalties up to ₹2 crore.
• Concerns have been raised about excessive centralization, potential loss of autonomy for institutions like IITs, and increased government control over universities.
• Combining the governance of technical education with general education may present challenges due to the specialized nature of technical fields.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Accreditation: Formal evaluation of educational institutions to ensure quality standards are met.
• Autonomy: Self-governance and independence of educational institutions from external control.
• Regulation: The act of controlling or supervising the functioning of educational institutions through rules and policies.