The Congress argued that the proposed revision of the regulatory structure weakens the consultation requirements of the UGC and expands the powers of the new structure, signaling “tighter control” over higher education institutions. | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphotos
The proposed legislation to restructure the regulatory framework of higher education constitutes a constitutional overreach by the Union government, Congress said on Thursday (March 19, 2026). The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill 2025 was introduced without consulting states, bureaucratizes higher education and hands over grant-making powers to the education ministry, which is controlled by politicians, Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said in a statement explaining the party’s opposition to the bill.
Mr. Ramesh added that the parliamentary panel had identified a high number of vacancies in existing regulatory bodies, including the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The bill proposes to merge these bodies and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) into a single 12-member commission under which three separate regulatory, accreditation and standardization boards will operate.
“This news comes at a time when there has already been a move to restructure the higher education regulatory architecture through the VBSA Act 2025,” Mr Ramesh said.
Interference with the powers of the state
Although the Center cited entry 66 of the Union List in the Constitution to defend its right to introduce the bill, the legislation gives the proposed new umbrella commission “powers beyond that scope and specifically encroaches on the powers of the state administration”, he added.
The bill seeks to separate the UGC’s grant-making powers from the regulatory structure to minimize conflicts of interest, with the government saying future funding mechanisms will be designed by the education ministry. Congress has expressed concern about the absence of a separate funding board under the new architecture, as it means handing over grantmaking powers to a department that could be subject to political influence.
However, earlier this week, the ministry informed a joint parliamentary committee examining the bill that a UGC-like grant-making power would be proposed and adopted within the Shiksha Adhishthan structure itself.
Tighter control
Mr. Ramesh noted that under the VBSA Act, member secretaries will carry out the “executive running” of the Commission and the three councils under it; however, under the current system, it is the academicians who run the bodies like UGC, AICTE and NCTE.
The Congress also warned that bringing institutes of national importance like IITs, IIMs and NITs under the VBSA Act could jeopardize their autonomy. The bill only talks about protecting the autonomy of these institutions without offering any specific details, the statement said.
It also argued that the proposed revision of the regulatory structure weakens the UGC’s consultative requirements and expands the powers of the new structure, signaling “tighter control” over higher education institutions.
Published – 19 March 2026 19:45 IST
