Bill for Higher Education Regulator to be Introduced in Parliament Soon

A little over a month has passed since the HRD Ministry announced that discussions are being conducted to launch a single regulator. Now the Ministry has prepared a draft legislation or establishing Higher Education Evaluation and Regulation Authority, 2018 (HEERA). Once HEERA is launched, bodies like the AICTE, NCTE and UGC will be scrapped. The bill is expected to be introduced in the parliament by September.

The draft has been forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office and will be discussed along with the New Education Strategy for 2022. HEERA will comprise 10 members including a chairperson and 2 vice-chairpersons who will have to be individuals who have served 5 years as directors in either IITs, IISc, IIMsor IISERs. Other members will have to be individuals who have served as vice chancellor of reputed central or state universities for a minimum of 5 years.

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Powers that HEERA would possess as a Higher Education Regulator:

• Setting Rules: Unlike the UGC, HEERA will not just regulate higher education institutes as per the defined standards but will also mentor them. It will also define the nomenclature of the degrees along with introducing new rules to upgrade the standards of education at any university.
• Questioning the Violation of Rules: The regulator will also have authority to execute zero tolerance mechanisms if it uncovers that an institute or university is not following the prescribed norms. In cases of violation of rules, HEERA will have the authority to terminate the affiliation of the institute/university in question.
• Terminating Affiliations if Rules are Violated: HEERA will have the powers to bar an institute from conducting admissions under a particular course if it finds out that the rules have been violated. The affiliation of such institutes can also be terminated by HEERA, however, the interests of the students will be safeguarded.
• Issuing Guidelines: HEERA can also issue guidelines to any institute in order to help them flourish. On the other hand actions such as fine, penalty or withdrawal of degree-granting powers can be taken if it establishes that affiliations have been granted by any university in contravention of the norms prescribed by HEERA.

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It has not yet been established as to how the state universities will be brought under the ambit of HEERA and dissuasions are being conducted for the same. According to the new draft, the funds and grants will be released by the HRD Ministry on the basis of action plans laid out by the respective institutes.