Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, on December 15, introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. The Bill has been formulated in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to modernise the regulatory framework of higher education in Bharat and strengthen quality, standards, and global competitiveness.
The Bill proposes the establishment of a new apex body named Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan, which will serve as the central authority for coordination, standard setting, regulation, and accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) across the country. Under this unified framework, existing statutory bodies — University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) – will be subsumed into the new structure.
To achieve clear functional separation and improved quality outcomes:
- The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad will focus on specifying minimum academic and institutional standards.
- The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad will act as the regulatory authority.
- The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad will serve as an independent accreditation council.
The Council of Architecture will continue to serve as a professional standard setting body as envisioned in NEP 2020.
The Bill, approved by the Union Cabinet on 12 December 2025, also calls for replacing multiple approvals and compliance structures with a technology-driven, faceless Single Window System that emphasises public disclosure and trust-based regulation. HEIs will be required to disclose governance, financial, academic performance, and related data on a public portal, which will also form the basis for accreditation.
According to the release, the new regulatory architecture aims to simplify procedures, enhance transparency, reduce duplication of inspections, and provide greater autonomy to high-performing institutions. Student-centric reforms—such as structured feedback on academic quality and grievance redressal mechanisms—are expected to expand access and support holistic education, elevate the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), and prepare youth for future-ready careers.
The Bill underscores the government’s commitment to adopting global best practices while fostering innovation, research excellence, and Atmanirbhar Bharat in the higher education sector.