Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, in Lok Sabha to reform the Higher Education regulatory system and reduce multiple layers of approvals for universities and colleges.
The purpose of the bill is to empower Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) by ensuring better coordination and uniform standards.
It is based on the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The proposed legislation was approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on December 12, 2025, before its introduction in Parliament.
The Bill proposes the establishment of a new apex body called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan, supported by three separate councils.
These include the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad as the Regulatory Council, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad as the Accreditation Council, and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad as the Standards Council.
All Higher Education Institutions currently regulated by UGC, AICTE and NCTE will come under the new Adhishthan for the determination of standards.
The Council of Architecture (CoA) will continue to function as a Professional Standard Setting Body, as envisioned under NEP 2020. The Bill also ensures that the existing autonomy of Institutions of National Importance remains unchanged.
The Bill has been introduced under 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".
The policy focuses on academic autonomy, multidisciplinary education, research excellence and global competitiveness rooted in Indian values.
Currently, universities and colleges must obtain approvals from multiple regulatory bodies, often undergoing repeated inspections which has led to over-regulation and duplication of control.
The new Bill proposes a technology-driven, faceless and single-window system based on public self-disclosure and trust-based regulation.
The Regulatory Council will operate a public digital portal where HEIs must disclose details related to governance, finances, audits, infrastructure, faculty, academic programmes and educational outcomes.
The Bill provides a clear separation between standard setting, regulation and accreditation through independent councils. The Standards Council will define minimum academic standards for HEIs. The Accreditation Council will function as an independent body overseeing the accreditation ecosystem.