31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee examining Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill

On June 5, 2026, Joint Parliamentary Committee on Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025 visited University of Kashmir and reviewed the functioning of the university. 

Critics of the Bill hold that it is an exercise in constitutional overreach disregarding the fact that Entry 66 of Union List of the Constitution of India which provides limited and specific legislative power to Parliament only for coordination and determination of standards in higher education institutions. Education is a subject under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. 

The bill concentrates regulatory, accreditation, and standard-setting functions under bodies appointed directly by the Union government, sparking concerns over executive overreach and political interference.

Several state governments have pointed out that it diminishes the authority of states over their own universities.

It promotes a market-driven, "hyper-globalized" approach focused on global rankings. It fails to address social justice, public-funded education, and domestic innovation.

The Bill covers Union and State-funded universities as well as private universities. It takes away the autonomy of the governing bodies of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Inter-University Centres (IUCs). 

Union Minister for Education had introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 in Lok Sabha on December 15, 2025. The purpose of the Bill is to empower Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) of India.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020calls for a fundamental transformation of the higher education regulatory system. Dr. K. Kasturirangan was the Chairperson, NEP Drafting Committee, former Chairperson, ISRO.

On December 12, 2025, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister had approved the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill for it's introduction in the Parliament.

The Bill was introduced under the provisions of Entry 66 of the Union List in the seventh schedule of the Constitution of India which provides for “Co-ordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education or research and scientific and technical institutions”.

It provides for the establishment of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan as an supreme body, along with three Councils: the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad (Regulatory Council), the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad (Accreditation Council), and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad (Standards Council). 

The Bill also provides for repealing the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956, the All India Council for Technical Education Act (AICTE), 1987 and the National Council for Teacher Education Act (NCTE), 1993. All higher educational institutions under the purview of the Ministry of Education, UGC, AICTE, and NCTE will be under the purview of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan for determination of standards.  The Council of Architecture (CoA) shall function as a Professional Standard Setting Body (PSSB) as envisioned in the NEP, 2020. The Bill ensures upholding the current level of autonomy accorded to the Institutions of National Importance.

The Adhishthan will provide strategic direction for the holistic growth of higher education and ensuring coordination among the Councils. The Standards Council will be responsible for synchronization and specifying minimum academic standards in HEIs; the Regulatory Council will ensure coordination and maintenance of these standards; and the Accreditation Council will function as an independent accrediting authority overseeing a robust and credible accreditation ecosystem.

The Regulatory Council’s public portal, which mandates disclosure of governance, financial, academic, and institutional performance data by HEIs, will also serve as the foundational basis for accreditation. This integrated approach will ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency, while reinforcing the Government’s commitment to simplification of systems for the stakeholders in Higher Education.

The membership of the Adhishthan and various Councils primarily comprises eminent academicians, domain experts, and representatives from States/UTs, State HEIs, and Institutions of National Importance, ensuring balanced representation and informed decision-making.

The entire regulatory framework will operate through technology-driven, faceless, Single Window Interactive Systems, based on principles of public self-disclosure and trust-based regulation.

The Regulatory Council will maintain a comprehensive public digital portal, where HEIs will be required to disclose information relating to financial probity, governance practices, finances, audits, procedures, infrastructure, faculty and staff, academic programmes, and educational outcomes. 

The data submitted on this public portal will also serve as the primary basis for accreditation, thereby ensuring transparency, accountability, and consistency across the higher education ecosystem.