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Reimagining Higher Education Governance in India:

A Critical Examination of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025

India’s higher education sector stands at a decisive moment of regulatory and institutional transition. Guided by the vision articulated in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, recent reforms seek to move away from fragmented, input-driven regulation towards a more coherent, outcome-oriented, and innovation-enabled governance framework. Within this context, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, introduced in Parliament in December 2025, represents a landmark intervention with far-reaching implications for the future of higher education in India.

The Bill proposes the creation of a single apex regulatory authority for higher education by repealing the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Act, and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act. It introduces a new regulatory architecture premised on functional separation between regulation, accreditation, and academic standards, alongside provisions for graded institutional autonomy, technology-enabled governance, enhanced transparency, and strengthened accountability mechanisms.

While the stated objective of the Bill is to operationalise the principles of NEP 2020 and foster quality, research, innovation, and global competitiveness, it also raises important policy questions. These relate to the implications of regulatory consolidation, the extent of genuine institutional autonomy, the balance between flexibility and compliance, and the evolving role of the state—particularly with respect to private higher education institutions.

About the Webinar

The Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) is hosting a webinar titled “Reimagining Higher Education Governance in India: A Critical Examination of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025.” The webinar aims to facilitate a structured, evidence-based policy dialogue on India’s emerging higher education regulatory framework.

Bringing together academic experts, policy practitioners, and institutional leaders, the discussion will critically examine whether the proposed reforms meaningfully advance the vision of NEP 2020 or whether aspects of over-centralisation, regulatory ambiguity, or compliance-heavy design warrant reconsideration or recalibration.

Rethinking Regulation, Autonomy, and Accountability

A central focus of the webinar will be the proposed shift from multiple regulators to a single apex body and the implications this has for institutional governance. While consolidation may promise efficiency and clarity, questions remain regarding decision-making autonomy, academic freedom, and the capacity of institutions to innovate within a centrally designed framework.

The discussion will also explore the Bill’s graded autonomy and penalty mechanisms, assessing how these provisions may shape curriculum design, research priorities, administrative flexibility, and institutional risk-taking across different categories of higher education institutions.

Implications for Private Higher Education and Institutional Diversity

Private higher education institutions play a growing role in India’s education ecosystem. The webinar will examine how the proposed regulatory architecture reshapes the operating environment for private institutions—particularly in terms of governance independence, financial discretion, compliance burden, and long-term sustainability.

An important dimension of the conversation will be whether the new framework balances accountability with inclusion, accessibility, and diversity, or whether it risks incentivising uniformity and risk-averse behaviour across the sector.

Objectives of the Webinar

• To examine the proposed legislative and regulatory framework for higher education under the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025
• To assess the alignment of the Bill with the principles, objectives, and recommendations of NEP 2020
• To analyse the implications of regulatory consolidation for institutional governance, quality assurance, and accountability
• To evaluate the impact of the proposed framework on institutional autonomy, academic freedom, and administrative flexibility
• To explore how the Bill reshapes the regulatory environment for private higher education institutions

Key Discussion Points

• Does the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 meaningfully operationalise the vision of institutional autonomy outlined in NEP 2020, or does regulatory consolidation risk replacing fragmented oversight with centralised control?
• To what extent does the functional separation of regulation, accreditation, and academic standards enhance governance efficiency and quality assurance?
• How does the graded autonomy and penalty framework affect curriculum design, research priorities, and administrative decision-making?
• What are the implications of the Bill for private higher education institutions in terms of governance, finance, compliance, and innovation?
• Does the proposed regulatory architecture adequately balance accountability with institutional diversity, inclusion, and accessibility?

Panelists

Dr Shakila T. Shamsu
Advisor (Special), Education Policies, CPPR and Former OSD and Secretary with the Committee drafting the NEP at the Ministry of Education, Govt of India

Dr Shakila T. Shamsu is an academic and policy professional with extensive experience in research, teaching, and institutional leadership. Her work engages with questions of education governance, reform, and public policy, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based analysis and inclusive institutional design.

Dr Leena Chandran Wadia
Professor and Dean (Education and Outreach),
The University of Trans-disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bengaluru.

Dr Wadia has been closely associated with the formulation of NEP 2020 and brings deep expertise in education policy, institutional reform, and governance.

Moderator

Dr D. Dhanuraj
Chairman, Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR)

Dr Dhanuraj is a leading public policy analyst with over two decades of experience in policy research, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement across education, governance, and regulatory reform.

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