Buzz around merging higher education bodies again amid Centre's plans to introduce HECI bill in Winter Session

New Delhi: The initiative to merge higher education bodies such as the UGC, AICTE and NCTE the Higher Education Council of India (HECI), which was on the back burner for years, is now back in the conversation with the government bringing in a bill to facilitate the merger in the Winter Session of Parliament. A bulletin released on Friday stated that the Centre intends to bring in the Higher Education Commission of India Bill 2025 during this session.

As per the proposal for the merger, in line with the NEP 2020, the HECI will have four verticals – the National Higher Education Regulatory Council which will regulate all streams except medical and legal education, the National Accreditation Council for accrediting institutions, the General Education Council for learning outcomes, and the Higher Education Grants Council to facilitate funds. Currently, the UGC regulates all streams of education barring technical education and medical education; AICTE regulates technical education and NCTE oversees planning and teacher education.

This is the second time that a legislation for the merger of higher education bodies has been mooted – in 2018, the education ministry issued a draft bill, the Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act), for public feedback. However, the bill was never introduced.

Work on a second bill started in 2021-22 with the ministry of education, UGC and AICTE working together on the draft legislation. The NEP also mandates a body like the HECI.

However, the move has been criticised. The All India Save Education Committee (AISEC), in a statement said that the merger will compromise the autonomy of higher educational institutions across the country.