VBSA Bill won’t alter status of state-affiliated universities, education ministry says
The education ministry assures the VBSA Bill won't change state universities' status, while introducing new regulatory frameworks for higher education.
The union education ministry has told a parliamentary committee reviewing the proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill that the law will not alter the status or functioning of state universities, while defending provisions that allow institutions to open off-campus and offshore centres, subject to approval.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's ministry, in written replies to the 31-member joint parliamentary committee examining the bill, said the legislation supplements rather than supplants state governments. (PTI File)
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In written replies to the 31-member joint parliamentary committee examining the bill, the ministry said the legislation supplements rather than supplants state governments and does not alter the governance structure of universities established under state laws.
The ministry also argued that Parliament has long exercised powers over higher education regulation, noting that the University Grants Commission (UGC) was created in 1956 when education was still a state subject.
According to the ministry, the proposed Regulatory Council under the VBSA framework will not exceed the current roles of the UGC, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
Defending provisions related to off-campus and offshore centres, the ministry said existing UGC regulations already allow such expansion, subject to conditions including accreditation, minimum years of operation and prior approvals.
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The VBSA Bill, introduced in Parliament in December 2025, seeks to replace the UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a 12-member commission overseeing separate councils for regulation, standards and accreditation under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.
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The VBSA Bill, introduced in Parliament in December 2025, seeks to replace the UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a 12-member commission overseeing separate councils for regulation, standards and accreditation under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.
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The ministry also said the proposed structure explicitly provides representation for state governments and state higher education institutions, unlike the UGC Act, 1956.
During the panel’s latest meeting, several higher education institutions broadly supported the proposed framework, saying it could reduce regulatory overlap and improve clarity, according to a person aware of the deliberations.
However, some institutions sought an independent appellate mechanism for disputes arising from regulatory action, while Institutes of National Importance, such as the IITs, raised concerns about protecting their statutory autonomy under existing laws, the person added.
Sanjay Maurya is a Principal Correspondent with Hindustan Times, where he covers education, with a focus on school and higher education, competitive examinations, education policy and governance. Working as part of the National Bureau, he is based in New Delhi and reports on the Ministry of Education and covers various statutory bodies like UGC, AICTE and NCTE and autonomous bodies like CBSE and NCERT. His reporting also tracks the implementation of key government reforms and policies from school education to higher education including in IITs, NITs, IIMs, central and state universities, and their impact on students and educational institutions. His reporting on the irregularities and rushed implementation of CBSE's On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for evaluation of Class 12 board exams 2026, triggered administrative action, leading to the transfer of the board's two senior-most officials and the constitution of a committee to probe alleged irregularities in procurement process of the system. He joined Hindustan Times in December 2024. Prior to that, he had a three-year stint at Careers360, where he reported on school and higher education, entrance examinations, admissions, rankings and various education policies involving universities and professional education bodies. Over the years, Maurya has reported extensively on major developments in India's education sector, including the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) following the NEET-UG 2024 controversy, changes in school education, higher education regulation, and the evolution of entrance examinations such as NEET, JEE and CUET. He regularly produces data-driven and explanatory stories based on government documents, parliamentary proceedings, court records and official data. His focus remains on helping readers understand how education policies and institutional decisions affect millions of students, teachers and educational institutions across the country.
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Home/India News/VBSA Bill won’t alter status of state-affiliated universities, education ministry says
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