UGC's dominance is over! The central government is bringing the VBSA Bill, a new system for higher education
VBSA Bill: A major change is coming to the country's higher education system. The central government is preparing to replace the UGC with a new and stronger system. For this, the government is going to introduce the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill 2025 (VBSA Bill) in Parliament. If this bill is passed, the roles of institutions like UGC, AICTE, and NCTE will completely change.
VBSA Bill: The country's university and college system may soon see a major change. The central government is preparing to introduce a new law that will virtually end the role of the UGC, which has so far governed higher education. The government is going to introduce the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill 2025 in Parliament. After the introduction of this bill, many education-related rules will be decided under one umbrella.
One institution, three responsibilities
Until now, there were separate institutions for regulation, accreditation, and setting standards. This meant colleges and universities had to deal with multiple offices. The new VBSA Bill aims to eliminate this problem. Under this, a 12-member central commission will be formed, under which three councils will function. One council will make rules, another will check quality, and the third will set academic standards. This will make the system clearer and easier to understand.
The role of UGC, AICTE, and NCTE will change
After the implementation of this bill, names like UGC, AICTE, and NCTE may gradually become a thing of the past. Their functions will now be distributed among the different councils of the VBSA Bill Commission. The government says that this will eliminate overlap and allow for faster decision-making. Colleges and universities will also have clarity on who to contact for which purpose.
Information provided on the VBSA Bill
The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 marks a landmark reform aligned with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi to modernise India’s higher education system.
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) December 15, 2025
Rooted in the principles of NEP 2020, the reform strengthens institutional autonomy,… pic.twitter.com/Fq1UEgCWB3
Which courses and institutions will be affected?
This law will apply to almost all higher education institutions in the country. This includes central and state universities, government and private colleges, technical education institutions, teacher training colleges, architecture institutions, and institutions of national importance. However, professional courses such as medical, dental, law, nursing, pharmacy, and veterinary sciences are excluded from this bill. Existing institutions in these fields will continue to set their own regulations.
Funding now under the Ministry of Education
Another major change proposed in this bill is that the UGC's grant-giving function will now be handled by the Ministry of Education. Funding for universities will be provided directly through a system determined by the ministry. The government says this will make fund distribution more transparent and efficient. The Council of Architecture will continue to set professional standards as before, but it will no longer have a regulatory role.
