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As the government pushes the HECI Bill 2025, News18 spoke to top academics to understand its potential impact on universities and the future of higher education regulation.
The HECI Bill 2025 proposes replacing UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a single higher-education regulator.
As the government moves to overhaul India’s higher-education regulatory system, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill 2025 has emerged as one of the most closely watched proposals of the Winter Session of Parliament. The legislation seeks to replace the UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a single overarching regulator, marking the most ambitious reform push since the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 first recommended a unified framework.
News18 spoke to top academics to understand how they view the proposed shift and what it could mean for universities across the country. But before looking at their views, it is important to understand how the current system works and what HECI may look like.
A Major Overhaul Of The Current System
The proposed law follows NEP 2020’s call for a “complete overhaul” of India’s higher-education regulatory architecture. The Bill aims to merge three key bodies into a single authority:
UGC – Regulates non-technical universities
AICTE – Oversees technical and professional institutions
NCTE – Sets standards for teacher education
Under the new structure, HECI would regulate institutions, accredit universities, set academic standards and frame funding norms. Medical and legal education are expected to remain outside its purview. Funding disbursal will continue to be handled by the Education Ministry.
What HECI May Look Like?
Officials familiar with the draft said the body is likely to follow NEP 2020’s recommended structure and function through four verticals:
National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) – Main regulator
National Accreditation Council (NAC) – Accreditation and quality benchmarks
General Education Council (GEC) – Academic frameworks and learning outcomes
Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) – Funding norms
This model clearly separates regulation, accreditation, academic standards and funding oversight.
What Stakeholders Think
Top academics have weighed in on the HECI Bill, offering a mix of support, caution and calls for greater transparency. While many agree that a single regulator could streamline oversight and reduce duplication, they also stress that the reform’s impact will depend heavily on how the transition is implemented.
Former UGC Chairman Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar said the HECI Bill represents a structural reform envisaged in NEP 2020 rather than a simple consolidation of existing regulators.
“UGC, AICTE and NCTE are distinct regulatory bodies with different data systems and decision-making styles… HECI will address practical challenges with approvals and pending files, giving institutions clarity on authority and processes during the transition. It will adopt strong communication, phased timelines and transparent legacy rules,” he said.
He believes the new framework will help eliminate duplication and accelerate decision-making through risk-based, technology-driven regulation. In his view, HECI’s emphasis on learning outcomes and broad academic guidelines could also expand institutional autonomy and support universities in developing programmes rooted in Indian languages and Indian Knowledge Systems.
At BITS Pilani, Group Vice Chancellor Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao described the proposed shift as a move away from a control-driven system towards one that empowers institutions.
“India has built one of the largest higher education systems in the world, yet the real test of any system is not its size but its ability to nurture quality, equity and innovation. The move towards the Higher Education Commission of India signals an important shift in thinking. We are moving from a framework that relied on control to one that aspires to enable. Separating regulation from funding, emphasising outcomes rather than inputs and bringing all streams under a common vision are steps in the right direction,” he said.
He added a note of caution, saying reforms should not slip into excessive oversight. “But reforms must never slip into excessive oversight. Institutions need trust, autonomy and the room to innovate. If implemented with transparency and care, HECI can help create a future where our universities are judged by what they deliver for students and for the country. That is the transformation India now needs.”
BHU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi agreed that HECI has significant long-term potential but warned that institutions may face challenges in the initial phase.
“Initially, a lot of effort will be required to ensure HECI serves the purpose it is meant for. Once it settles down, it has the potential to streamline regulations and promote interdisciplinary activities by blurring the often unnecessary boundaries between disciplines,” he said.
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However, Former DUTA president A. K. Bhagi raised strong objections to the lack of transparency, particularly the fact that the draft Bill has not been made public.
“Draft copy of the bill is not available; it must be shared with stakeholders for their informed opinion and suggestions. From media reports, it is expected that financial matters, i.e. Government Grants and funds, are not under the purview of the HECI and this regulatory body is going to deal with quality and standards in higher education. The service conditions, promotions and eligibility criteria of teachers in HEI will be under HECI,” he said.
He further stressed the need for uninterrupted grants and adequate teaching positions for institutions.
“The government should declare a transparent method for allocation of grants to meet infrastructure requirements and expansion of HEIs and sanction posts, etc,” he added.
Bhagi concluded with a call for greater participation of academics: “There shall be greater participation of academicians and more democratisation of proposed regulators replacing UGC, AICTE, etc.”
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 04, 2025, 17:45 IST
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