Proposed regulator may not oversee law colleges

New Delhi

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The Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) that the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry plans to create by merging the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) may not have law colleges under its ambit.

According to senior HRD ministry officials who asked not to be named, the ministry, after widespread consultations, has drawn up a plan for merging UGC and AICTE to create a regulator to govern higher education across most streams excluding medical education, which is overseen by Medical Council of India.

The proposal is in line with the five-year vision plan formed by ministry in consultation with eminent experts such as principal scientific advisor to the PM, K. VijayRaghavan, former Indian Space Research Organisation chief K Kasturirangan, former Infosys CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and former bureaucrat Hasmukh Adhia.

However, the proposal to include law colleges under the ambit of the HECI has met with consistent opposition from the Bar Council of India (BCI).

“ BCI was not in favour of including law colleges under the ambit of HECI. So, it has been decided that at least for the time being, the regulator will not oversee them. Once the body is created and all stakeholders agree, it is possible this may still happen,” one of the officials cited above said, requesting anonmity.

BCI co-chairman Ved Prakash Sharma welcomed the government move

“What needs to be understood is that Bar Council of India and its committees, which have retired Supreme Court judge, sitting chief justices of high courts and professionals, has been managing legal education in the country in an efficient manner. The move to have legal education under the Higher Education Council, was the idea of bureaucrats and has been rightly rejected by the government.” Sharma said.

All other institutions including those in the areas of veterinary science, pharmacy, agricultural science, and architecture, will be regulated by HECI.

“The ministry plans to bring a bill for this, which is at an advanced stage of consultation,” said another HRD ministry official on condition of anonymity. Since it is one of the more far-reaching reforms (being considered by the ministry) , HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has tasked a team to examine all issues in detail before it can be taken to the cabinet, the official added.

The HRD ministry envisages HECI as a specialized but broad-based body that will have as its members, eminent educationists, top government functionaries, and also members of various bodies such as the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) as members,.

Along with the New Education Policy (NEP) and the creation of the National Research Foundation (NRF), HECI is a major initiative of the second Narendra Modi government in the education space.

HECI will primarily focus on academic and quality matters duly ensuring learning outcomes, mentoring of institutions, training of teachers and academic administrators, and promoting education through the use of technology.

Significantly, the fund disbursal function that UGC presently undertakes will be kept separate from the commission with a Special Purpose Vehicle taking care of this.