Formation of Indian Higher Education Commission hangs in balance

matnewsFebruary 21, 2024

The formation of Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), an important institution for higher education of the country, is hanging in the balance. A bill was proposed in the Parliament by the Center to establish a single regulator i.e. HECI instead of separate regulators of higher education, but this bill was not introduced even in the last session of the seventeenth Lok Sabha. Now this work can be completed only after the formation of the next government. General elections are going to be held in the country soon.

In accordance with the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, many major changes are being made from school education to higher education level. There are separate regulators for non-technical, technical and teacher education under higher education in the country. There is University Grants Commission (UGC) for non-technical education, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for technical education and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for teacher education.

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All the central universities, state universities, deemed universities, private universities and all these affiliated colleges and other higher education institutions of the country operate as per the rules of the UGC. From giving recognition to all the institutions for technical education, standards and rules related to curriculum determination, admission process, curriculum, examination etc. are made by AICTE.

At the same time, the work of regulation of institutions providing teacher education i.e. B.Ed, D.El.Ed, B.Ed, M.Ed, B.El.Ed etc. is done by NCTE. A change in this system is proposed. Under this, there is a proposal to create one regulator in place of separate regulators, named Higher Education Commission of India.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said in an interview in October last year that the government will soon present the bill related to the formation of the Indian Higher Education Commission in the Parliament, but this bill was not presented in the Parliament. A draft of the Indian Higher Education Commission (Repeal of the University Grants Commission Act) Bill, 2018, which provides for the repeal of the UGC Act and the establishment of the Higher Education Commission of India, was introduced for public comment and consultation in 2018. Was placed before the people. After assuming power as Education Minister in 2021, Dharmendra Pradhan made fresh efforts to implement the HECI Bill.

Three main areas of work of the Commission

First, there is the role of the regulator. Presently this work is done by UGC, AICTE and NCTE. UGC has already initiated several internal reforms related to the Higher Education Commission of India. Second, there is recognition at two levels. Recognition of colleges and recognition of courses. Third, to set professional standards about what will be taught and how it will be taught. The work of funding will not be with the new commission. Administrative ministries like Health Ministry, Education Ministry, Agriculture Ministry will have the authority related to funding.

Teaching of medical and law courses is not within the scope of the commission.

Medical education and law education system will be kept out of the scope of the newly constituted Indian Higher Education Commission. In such a situation, the work of regulating institutions related to medical education will continue to be done by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and other regulators. Similarly, the regulation of legal education institutions by the Bar Council of India (BCI) will continue as before.