India’s higher education system has long struggled with multiple authorities and fragmented, compliance-driven regulations. The proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025 seeks to address this by establishing a unified regulatory framework, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The key benefits of the VBSA Bill include streamlined oversight of all higher education institutions, consistent regulatory standards, faster approval processes, reduced duplication of compliance efforts and improved transparency across the system.

A Simpler Regulatory ArchitectureAt its core, the VBSA Bill replaces the existing regulatory maze by consolidating the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE frameworks into a single, integrated system for governing all HEIs. This consolidation eliminates overlapping mandates and inconsistent guidelines that previously hindered the institutions’ growth, enabling more efficient decision-making and resource allocation across the sector.

The Bill allocates regulation, accreditation and standard-setting to distinct bodies to reduce conflicts of interest and enhance credibility. A single-window digital platform improves access to institutional information, enhances transparency and reduces paperwork.

Crucially, while minimum standards will be uniformly enforced across all HEIs, VBSA links greater autonomy to performance. Institutions that demonstrate high levels of quality and accountability will enjoy greater freedom in curriculum design, admissions and collaborations.

The Real Test: Research and Innovation

While a simple regulatory reform is essential, its success will ultimately depend on whether it enables our universities to become engines of knowledge creation and innovation.

NEP 2020’s vision of research-integrated education must now be realised through inquiry-based learning and problem-solving from undergraduate to postgraduate levels, building a pipeline of future researchers. Strengthening the doctoral and postdoctoral ecosystem—by expanding programs, offering fellowships, and establishing stable career pathways—is essential to innovation.

The Bill supports performance-linked research by tying public funding to outcomes like research quality, patents, societal impact and industry collaboration.

Flexible norms for industry ties, faculty mobility, shared infrastructure and commercialisation can help research deliver social and economic value. Addressing challenges—climate change, health, AI, infrastructure—requires interdisciplinary research, which VBSA should encourage through cross-disciplinary programmes supporting national missions.

Universities should nurture innovation and entrepreneurship through start-up support, technology-transfer help desks, seed funding, and industry and alumni mentoring. VBSA’s clarity can address risk aversion and encourage experimentation at all levels.

Globalising Indian Higher Education

To fully leverage research excellence, India will have to deepen the globalisation of its universities. This includes promoting joint degrees, dual PhDs and international research consortia; easing norms for faculty and students’ global mobility and aligning accreditation standards with international benchmarks, while remaining rooted in national priorities and Indian knowledge traditions.

Looking Ahead

The VBSA Bill, 2025 promises a coherent and transparent higher education system. Its impact will depend on effective implementation and on fostering research-driven, globally connected universities that will help establish India as a leader in the global knowledge economy.

(The author is former Additional Chief Secretary of higher education. Views expressed are personal)

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