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HECI Bill Listed for Winter Session, Setting Up Single Higher Education Regulator

The proposal follows NEP 2020 and confines the new commission to regulation, accreditation and professional standards, leaving funding and medical and legal education outside its remit.

Overview

  • A Lok Sabha bulletin schedules the Higher Education Commission of India Bill for introduction in the Winter Session beginning December 1, with the session slated to run through December 19.
  • The legislation would consolidate the University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education and National Council for Teacher Education into one regulator.
  • Medical and law colleges would remain under their existing frameworks, and funding decisions would continue to rest with the administrative ministry rather than the new commission.
  • Officials say preparatory committees have been formed to integrate data and functions from the existing regulators, with former AICTE official Rajive Kumar noting he has been assigned responsibilities.
  • The move revives a long‑debated reform outlined in NEP 2020, and parliamentary scrutiny is expected to focus on concerns about centralisation, autonomy and representation raised in earlier reviews.