In a recent announcement to make structural changes within the pre-existing system, which has led Modi Government to replace UGC. The government is preparing to set up a Higher Education Commission of India (HEIC) in place of University Grants Commission (UGC).
The HRD Ministry has requested all stakeholders and the general public to give suggestions by July 7, 2018. So that, there could be a decision made and could make amends in the pre-existing bill. The draft bill has provisions, that will provide more autonomy to colleges. This in return would lead to the holistic growth of the education system throughout the nation at more affordable cost.
The government has laid a set of goals to be achieved through this reform:
- To lay guidelines for opening and closure of institutions.
- Provide more autonomy to institutions.
- Fix standards for appointment of institutional head that are common to every University started under any law.
As per the draft bill, Ministry of Human Resource and Development will be looking after grant distribution. While HECI will be focusing on academic front. The act is scheduled to be presented in the Parliament in this monsoon session. Previously, the government was trying to form a single regulator for All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and UGC.
Previous governments through various committees have recommended to have single regulators. This is proposed to ease limitations on the functioning of previous bodies.
The National Knowledge Commission of 2006 had previously recommended an independent regulatory authority for higher education. Also in 2009, The Committee on Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education had almost the same recommendations. As it strongly advised for the establishment of an apex body by bringing together other small bodies in the field of higher education.
In 2014, The UGC Review Committee also gave it’s nod to UGC getting scrapped and should be replaced with a single institution named National Higher Education Authority. These all reports paved the way for Government to replace UGC with HECI.
