New Delhi: Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, announced the Ministry of Education’s plan to create the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) through a new legislation.
NEP 2020 Vision for Higher Education
Majumdar highlighted that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to establish a ‘light but tight’ regulatory framework for the education system. This framework is designed to ensure integrity, transparency, and resource efficiency while encouraging innovation, autonomy, and good governance.
Function of Proposed HECI
The HECI, as outlined in the NEP, will serve as a centralized body with distinct divisions for regulation, accreditation, funding, and academic standards. Its objective is to replace existing regulatory entities like the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE.
Majumdar emphasized that the HECI will be a holistic body encompassing various aspects of higher education, aligning with the NEP’s vision for a modern regulatory framework.
Current Regulatory Scenario
Currently, the UGC oversees non-technical higher education, the AICTE supervises technical education, and the NCTE governs teacher education. The proposal to consolidate these responsibilities under a singular regulator was first introduced in a draft legislation in 2018.
Development of HECI
The process to establish the HECI gained momentum under the leadership of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July 2021. The initial draft bill from 2018 aimed to revoke the UGC Act and introduce the HECI for public consultation and feedback.
Call for Reform
The NEP 2020 underscores the necessity for a complete restructuring of the current regulatory framework to rejuvenate the higher education sector and align it with global standards.
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