Why Modi government is replacing UGC with a new higher education regulator

The Modi government has announced that it will dissolve the University Grants Commission (UGC) and replace it with a new Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).What is Higher Education Commission of India?HECI will be the new, apex regulator for university and higher education in India. It has to set benchmarks for academic performance, ensure that institutions adhere to these and act against those that violate standards. It will replace UGC once Parliament repeals UGC Act, 1951. The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry will pilot the Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Act 2018, in the monsoon session of the Parliament. HECI will be governed by a commission headed by a chairperson and vice-chairperson selected by a committee which will include the Cabinet Secretary and Higher Education Secretary (HRD). Twelve other members, including officials from various stakeholder ministries, two serving V-Cs, an industry doyen and two professors will be part of the panel.HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM UGC? HECI will be a new avatar of UGC with a different vision, focus and powers. While UGC has been vested with grant-giving powers, HECI will have no funds to dole out. This is a decision based on the recommendations of many government committees which pointed out how the fund-giving functions of the UGC allowed for over-regulation –– an oft compromised UGC inspection regime that has led to an inevitable quality decline in India’s higher education system. The fund divestment move will ensure that HECI focuses single-mindedly on academics. HECI will also be distinct as to the powers it will have to act against institutions in case of violation of norms. That it brings in provisions to ‘mentor’ deficient institutes rather than order closure is also a new approach to upping quality.WHY NO SINGLE REGULATOR? Governments across political hues have advocated a single higher education regulator as this can help clean up the regulatory mess in higher education, do away with overlaps and create an ecosystem conducive to nurturing institutes of excellence. This government also proposed a single regulator in 2016 –– an idea backed by the PMO and Niti Aayog. A draft for creating this regulator ––titled ‘Higher Education Empowerment Regulation Agency (HEERA)’ –– was circulated and discussed. Things took a turn after a May meeting in Mussorie where other regulators which were to be subsumed by HEERA –– like All India Council for Technical Education and National Council for Teacher Education –– red-flagged concerns. It was felt that the move involving dissolution of three regulators to form one could have more trouble passing muster in Parliament, especially since general elections were near. Amendments in Acts governing various regulators would probably be more acceptable.SO WILL HECI HELP?Since it is the university system and its regulatory framework that was found wanting, HECI could help fi x this up. Keeping the regulator off money matters may also reduce the huge trust defi cit that UGC had. Many top institutions had been at the receiving end of UGC’s regulatory stick for matters often related to governance rather than academic concerns. If HECI is able to break out of the UGC mould and bring in implementable parameters, it will have a lasting impact on higher education.

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