New Delhi: The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which seeks to overhaul higher education in India, was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday (December 15). While Opposition members raised objections to the bill at the introduction stage and accused the Union government of overcentralising education through the proposed legislation – which was also criticised for its Hindi nomenclature – the bill was ultimately sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.The bill seeks to repeal the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987 and the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993. The bill seeks to set up an apex umbrella body called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan that will provide direction for comprehensive and holistic growth of higher education, along with three councils for regulation, accreditation and ensuring academic standards for universities and higher education institutions (HEI) in India. These will be the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad (the regulatory council), the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad (the accreditation council) and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad (the standards council).Also read: ‘Bulldozing Parliament’ Says Opposition as Centre Lists Four Bills in Eleventh HourAccording to the bill’s Statement of Objects and Reasons, the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 envisions the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system that is aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st century education.It says that the legislation is being brought as the NEP, 2020 “considers that the regulatory system is in need of a complete overhaul in order to re-energise the higher education sector and enable it to thrive”.“The NEP, 2020 envisions a ‘light but tight’ regulatory framework to ensure integrity, transparency and resource efficiency of the educational system through audit and public disclosure while encouraging innovation and out-of-the- box ideas through autonomy, good governance and empowerment,” it says.The bill provides that the apex umbrella body, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan, will consist of a chairperson and 12 other members, all of whom will be appointed by the President of India. The councils will have 14 members and the president and the members of the councils will also be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a search-cum-selection committee of the Union government.The bill gives overarching powers to the Union government under clauses 45 and 47. The clauses provide that on questions of policy, the each body under the Act will be bound by directions given by the Union government, incase of a disagreement between the Union government and any of the bodies constituted or established under this Act as to whether a question is or is not a question of policy, the decision of the Union government shall be final.It also says that the Union government may direct the commission or the councils to perform such other functions as it deems fit.Further, it provides the Union government powers to supersede the commission as well as the councils established under the proposed legislation. It says in Clause 47 that “if at any time central government is of the opinion” that either of the bodies have defaulted in their functions in complying with directions from the Union government it may supersede the commission or the councils.Also read: INDIA Parties to Boycott JPC to Examine Contentious Bills to Sack CMs, MinistersIn such cases of superseding, the bill provides that the chairperson of the commission, or the presidents of the councils and other members of the commission or councils will be asked to vacate their offices, and the Union government will discharge its functions until the reconstitution of the body.The commission shall be funded by the union government and will have its own fund, being called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Fund.“The commission shall have its own fund to be called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Fund and all sums which may, from time to time, be granted to it by the central government and all the receipts of the commission and the councils (including any sum which any state government or any other authority or person may deposit) shall be carried to the fund and all payments by the commission and councils shall be made therefrom,” the bill says.The bill, also in its Statement of Objects and Reasons, says that it has been necessitated due to the expansion of higher education system which has also seen “establishment of several statutory regulatory bodies, requiring multiple approvals by higher educational institutions, inspections, etc., resulting in over-regulation of the sector and duplication of control”.“There exists a strong need for providing simplified regulatory systems for higher educational institutions in the country,” it says.However, the bill was opposed at the introductory stage itself with opposition members questioning overcentralisation undermines state governments as well as principles of federalism, while questioning the nomenclature of the bill in Hindi. Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju then said that as it is an extensive legislation, it will be sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.