Kerala Higher Education Minister urges MPs to oppose VBSA Bill

Kerala Minister for Higher Education Roji M. John | Photo credit: H. Vibhu

Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M. John has appealed to all Members of Parliament from the state to oppose the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, saying several of its provisions would centralize control over higher education and weaken the constitutional role of states.

In a letter to Kerala MPs in both houses of Parliament, Mr John said that while the government projects the Bill as a reform measure aimed at improving higher education, research and innovation, he argued that its provisions have wider constitutional implications.

“Behind the language of reforms is a framework that concentrates unprecedented powers in the Union government, weakens the constitutional role of states and threatens the autonomy of institutions,” the minister said.

Mr John argued that the bill departed from the principle of cooperative federalism and pointed to clause 49, which he said would allow the proposed law to override inconsistent state regulations.

Management structure

He also raised concerns about the governance structure envisaged in the bill, particularly the limited rotational representation of states in the Viksit Bharat Shikha Adhisthan, an apex body that would replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

The minister further claimed that the bill empowers the central government to issue binding directions on matters described as “policy questions and empowers it to supersede regulatory authorities.

Urging MPs to oppose the bill in its current form, the minister said the legislation should be revised to strengthen rather than weaken the partnership between the Union and the states.

Published – 16 Jul 2026 20:56 IST