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In conversation with AyraNews24x7, former UGC Chairman Professor Jagadesh Kumar explains how HECI will replace UGC, AICTE and NCTE, reshape regulation and support autonomy.
Professor Jagadesh Kumar told AyraNews24x7 that NEP 2020 and HECI will strengthen academic freedom and support innovation in universities.
As the government prepares to introduce the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill in Parliament this winter session, the future of India’s regulatory framework for higher education has become a topic of significant debate. To understand the implications of replacing the UGC, AICTE and NCTE with a single regulator, AyraNews24x7 spoke to Professor Mamidala Jagadish Kumar, former chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and former vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
In this exclusive conversation, he shares his views on how the change in HECI might happen, its impact on academic autonomy, the role of state universities and whether the move represents genuine reform or merely administrative restructuring.
Here are edited excerpts from the interview:
Q. What challenges do you see in the transition from UGC to HECI, especially while integrating the roles currently played by AICTE and NCTE?
Professor Jagdish: The transition from the current regulatory system to HECI as envisaged in NEP 2020 has been carefully considered. UGC, AICTE and NCTE are different regulatory bodies with different data systems and decision making styles. NEP 2020 advocates an integrated approach, which envisions the convergence of professional and general education and enables institutions to become large multidisciplinary universities. This requires harmonized norms on faculty qualifications, infrastructure, online delivery, skill education and assessment in previously disparate streams. HECI will address practical challenges with approvals and pending files, giving institutions clarity on authorizations and processes during the transition. It will adopt strong communication, phased timelines and transparent legacy rules, while professional councils will provide their views through nominated representatives to HECI.
Why. How might HECI affect the academic freedom of universities, especially in areas such as curriculum design and degree approval?
Professor Jagdish: NEP 2020 emphasizes on academic freedom along with responsibility. It links regulation to learning outcomes rather than micromanaging educational institutions. HECI will underpin this shift by focusing on broad curricular frameworks such as credit structures, levels and expected graduate capabilities, while leaving institutions free to decide the academic style. HECI will also champion Indian language medium education and Indian knowledge systems in a way that earlier education systems could not. HECI will establish clear parameters that will recognize Indian epistemological traditions in keeping with global standards. This approach can give universities the confidence to design creative programmes, for example, a BSc in Physics with an Indian Astronomy module, without regulatory confusion.
Why. Do you believe that moving to a single regulatory authority will improve efficiency, or is there a risk of excessive centralization of power?
Professor Jagdish: A single regulator can improve efficiency by reducing duplication and conflicting directions. Today, institutions often juxtapose UGC, AICTE and NCTE guidelines which overlap or diverge. This current system keeps our education system fragmented. HECI will adopt risk-based, data-driven regulation and use technology for faceless approvals and disclosures. As a national body, HECI will protect student interests while respecting institutional diversity. HECI will guard against unhealthy centralization through transparent norms, appeal mechanisms and continuous interaction with universities and state governments.
Why. How might the HECI framework impact the autonomy of state-run universities that currently operate under state law?
Professor Jagdish: State universities play an important role in India’s broader higher education system. HECI will operate within the constitutional framework where education is in the concurrent list and state acts define university structures. NEP 2020 does not weaken that framework but calls for common principles on quality, transparency and dynamism. For state universities, HECI can serve as a national reference point for technology integration including Academic Bank of Credit, National Credit Framework, skill education and accreditation. It will support mobility of students across state borders and between different types of institutions. States can continue to decide on fee policy, reservation criteria, multidisciplinary education, industry-academia collaboration, startup ecosystem and funding, subject to constitutional limits. HECI will conduct structured consultations with State Governments and State Higher Education Councils to enhance autonomy and assist in long-term planning and decision making.
Also read: HECI Bill to replace UGC, AICTE, NCTE with single regulator likely to come in winter session
Why. From a policy perspective, do you think HECI will meaningfully reform India’s higher education system, or is it essentially a restructuring of existing bodies?
Professor Jagdish: There should be no confusion about whether HECI represents deep reforms or a cosmetic overhaul. NEP 2020 emphasizes the need for an integrated approach and “light but strict” regulation, linking it to the move towards larger, multidisciplinary universities, flexible curricula and strong research cultures. HECI will function as a strategic commission rather than a clearance office. It will promote programs rooted in Indian language medium of instruction, local economies and Indian knowledge systems while emphasizing global standards of rigor. This combination can shift Indian higher education away from narrow affiliation routines towards institution building rooted in the Indian ethos.
Why. Will the establishment of HECI affect the way grants and financial aid are allocated to institutions? Do you think funding and regulation should remain separate or integrated?
Professor Jagdish: HECI will indirectly shape the funding pattern. NEP 2020 clearly states that regulation, accreditation and academic standards should not be in the same office to avoid conflict of interest. From a policy perspective, this design enables India to link grants to transparent performance indicators, such as accreditation, research output, inclusion metrics and support for Indian language and IKS-based programs, while keeping day-to-day regulation separate. Such arm’s-length arrangements increase trust in the system. As HECI will publish clear criteria for funding data and mandatory public disclosure of learning outcomes, institutions can plan with greater confidence, and society can see how public investment aligns with national priorities.
Archit Gupta is the Chief Sub-Editor at AyraNews24x7.com and an experienced education journalist specializing in reporting on education and employment. He has covered a variety of education-related stories, including high-…read more
Archit Gupta is the Chief Sub-Editor at AyraNews24x7.com and an experienced education journalist specializing in reporting on education and employment. He has covered a variety of education-related stories, including high-… read more
November 26, 2025, 10:52 IST
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