A Bill to do away with UGC and AICTE will be tabled in the Parliament in October

• The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) will table the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill in the parliament in October.
  
• It proposes to replace the autonomous bodies — University Grants Commission(UGC) and All Indian Council for Technical Education(AICTE).
  
• Eyeing global standards, the bill aims to promote quality education and reform the higher education sector.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) will table the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill in Parliament in October. This Bill proposes to do away with the autonomous bodies — University Grants Commission (UGC) and All Indian Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Mint reported citing ministry officials.

The Bill proposes to introduce a Higher Education Commission of India as the only regulatory body to monitor higher education in India. This will also loop in technical and higher education under the ministry directly. The draft bill seeks to revoke the UGC Act, 1951 and AICTE Act, 1987.

“The bill has been prepared after elaborate consultation with states. It will be taken to the cabinet in October," a senior HRD Ministry official said.

Eyeing global standards, the bill aims to promote quality education and reform higher education. It will focus on “quality of academic instruction, maintenance of academic standards and encourage autonomy of good performing educational institutions for free pursuit of knowledge, innovation, skills and entrepreneurship,” said Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', HRD Minister in July.

The bill was introduced by the ministry last year and was sent out for public feedback from stakeholders including ministries. Earlier, the bill proposed that the academic matters shall be under the control of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) while finances will be handled by the HRD ministry.

At present, the UGC is responsible for university education and entrance examinations while the AICTE manages the technical education in India.

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