Centre to table Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill this week to overhaul higher education

According to the bill, the Standards Council will ensure synchronisation and determination of academic standards in higher educational institutions, while the Regulatory Council ensures co-ordination and maintenance of standards in higher educational institutions, and the Accreditation Council will be an accrediting body to supervise and oversee an independent ecosystem of accreditation. Of these, the Regulatory Council will function as the common regulator of higher education in India.The Regulatory Council requires full online and offline public self-disclosure of all finances, audits, procedures, infrastructure, faculty, courses, educational outcomes and accreditation-related information by higher educational institutions on a public website maintained by the Council and on the websites of institutions. The function of the bill also includes specifying standards for select foreign universities to operate in India and facilitating high-performing Indian Universities to set up campuses in other countries with the prior approval of the central government. The Bill also proposes that the Council of Architecture (CoA), established under the Architects Act, 1972, will function as a Professional Standard Setting Body (PSSB), as envisioned in the NEP, 2020. As a Member of the Standards Council, the CoA will participate in framing the curricula, laying down academic standards and coordinating between teaching, research and extension of its domain or discipline. Thus, CoA would set the standards or expectations in its particular field of learning and practice while having no regulatory role. The CoA will have representation in all three Councils proposed to be established under the proposed legislation. The Bill provides for repealing the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987 and the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993. It further states that membership of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan and the Councils include academicians, domain experts and representatives from states, union territories, state higher educational institutions and Institutions of national importance. Stating its objectives, the bill proposes that it will pave the path for Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the higher education sector and create a talent pool of students who will help the country in achieving the vision towards Viksit Bharat. This will facilitate empowerment of youth by developing critical and innovative thinking leading to holistic development, provide opportunities for inter-disciplinary and flexible education, thus permitting continuous reskilling and upskilling. The students will also have access to a fair, transparent and robust grievance redressal mechanism.



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