Higher education bill frees our universities, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Vikshit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025 was introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session and has been referred to a joint parliamentary committee.
• The Bill aims to provide greater autonomy to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in areas like teaching, curriculum development, and research.
• The Bill seeks to unify UGC, AICTE, NCTE, and other regulatory bodies into a single commission, excluding those governing law and medical education.
• The proposed commission will have three councils: Viniyaman Parishad (Regulatory Council), Gunvatta Parishad (Accreditation Council), and Manak Parishad (Standards Council).

Detailed Insights:

• The Bill aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to propel India towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 by decolonising the education system.
• The unification of regulatory bodies is intended to streamline the regulatory framework, addressing the piecemeal establishment of regulators like UGC (1956), AICTE (1987), and NCTE (1993).
• The Bill proposes a shift from input-based evaluations to outcome-based evaluations, focusing on learning outcomes, student skills, employability, and real-world impact.
• The Bill mandates transparency through online and offline public self-disclosure of academic, operational, and financial matters, along with a grievance redressal mechanism for students.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Viksit Bharat: India's vision to achieve developed nation status by 2047.
• NEP 2020: A comprehensive framework to transform India's education system.
• Autonomy: The freedom of HEIs to make independent decisions regarding their operations.