Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025

Why in the News?

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, was introduced in the Lok Sabha and referred to a joint parliamentary committee.

About Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025

• About: It aims to create a unified regulatory architecture for higher education in India under Entry 66 of the Union List (List I) in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution. 
  • Entry 66 of the Union list provides for the coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education or research, and scientific and technical institutions.
• Need for the bill: To provide simplified regulatory systems for higher educational institutions in the country.
  • Also, the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, envisions the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance.

Major provisions of the bill

• Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA):  The Bill establishes the Commission as the apex regulatory body for higher education. 
  • VBSA will not control the funding of institutions.
• Vertical Councils under VBSA
  • Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad for regulation.
  • Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad for accreditation.
  • Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad for academic standards.
• Repeal: It provides for the repeal of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956, the All India Council for Technical Education Act (AICTE), 1987, and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act, 1993.
• The functions of the Commission include: 
  • Providing strategic direction for higher education and research.
  • Developing a roadmap for transforming higher educational institutions (HEIs) into large multi-disciplinary education and research institutions, and 
  • Suggesting schemes for improving the quality of education. 
• Penalties on HEIs: The Regulatory Council may impose penalties on HEIs for contraventions of the Act. 
• Appeals:  Appeals against the decisions of the Commission and the Councils will be lie before the central government.
• Exemption: The Bill exempts legal and medical education from its purview.  These will continue to be regulated under separate Acts.
• Proposed Council of Architecture (CoA): To be established under the Architects Act, 1972 will function as a Professional Standard Setting Body.

Current Regulatory ecosystem for Higher education in India

• Status: Since education is in the concurrent list, it is a shared responsibility of both centre and the states 
  • However, technical and scientific educational institutes, research and standards determination are included in the Union List.
• Apex Regulatory Bodies: UGC under the education ministry for funding, granting recognition, standard-setting, teaching, examination, and research. 
• Professional Councils:
  • AICTE: Regulates technical education (Engineering, Management, etc.).
  • Statutory bodies that regulate specific professions. E.g., National Medical Commission, Bar Council of India, etc.
• Accreditation Bodies:
  • NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) by UGC: Assess institutions (Colleges/Universities) on quality parameters
  • NBA (National Board of Accreditation): Under the AICTE act accredits specific technical programs. (e.g., B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering).

Issues in higher education governance

• Fragmentation of Functions: Multiple regulators (UGC, AICTE, State Governments) often have overlapping mandates, leading to confusion and red tape.
• Conflict of Interest: Bodies like the UGC handle both Regulation (setting rules) and Funding (distributing grants), creating a conflict in governance.
• Resource Inequity: Approximately 65% of the UGC budget is utilised by Central Universities, while State Universities, which handle the bulk of student enrolment, receive only 35%.
• One-Size-Fits-All Approach: The same rigid rules often apply to a research-intensive university and a small teaching college, stifling innovation.
• Faculty Shortages: Many public HEIs report 50% vacancies, and recruitment processes are often stalled by bureaucratic or political interference.
• Employability Gap: There is a persistent lack of employable skills in technical graduates, leading to rising educated unemployment.
  • Only ~55% of Indian graduates are considered "employable."-India Skill Report 2025.
• Research Deficit: Public funding for research and innovation has seen a gradual decline, with India spending only 0.68% of GDP on R&D compared to much higher rates in China and USA.

Conclusion 

The VBSA Bill has the potential to streamline higher education governance and align it to build a "Viksit Bharat," provided implementation remains consultative, transparent, and student-centric.