Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Commission (UGC) may cease to exist in its current form as the Union government moves ahead with a sweeping overhaul of India’s higher education regulatory framework.
The government has introduced the Developed India Education Foundation Bill, 2025 (also referred to as the VBEA Bill, 2025) in Parliament, proposing to replace existing regulators with a single umbrella body—the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). Under the proposed framework, the UGC, along with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), would be merged into HECI.
If the Bill is passed in its present form, the UGC would no longer function as an independent statutory body, and its existing regulations and guidelines could automatically lapse, to be replaced by new norms framed under HECI.
The Bill has been referred to a Select Committee of Parliament, comprising 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members. The committee is expected to submit its report by the end of the first phase of the ongoing Budget Session.
According to the government, the proposed reform aims to simplify regulation, reduce overlap between multiple bodies, and enable a more flexible, outcome-oriented higher education system. The broader objective is to modernise universities, promote innovation, and position India as a global knowledge hub in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
However, the final shape of the reform will depend on the Select Committee’s recommendations and subsequent parliamentary approval. Until the Bill is enacted, the UGC continues to operate under existing laws.
Education experts and university stakeholders are closely watching the developments, as the proposed changes could significantly reshape governance, funding, accreditation and academic autonomy across India’s higher education sector.
-OdishaAge
