Major reforms Bills in higher education likely in Parliament session

“The Lok Sabha Secretariat has been indicated that the ministry wants to introduce these Bills this session. Once the Cabinet clears them,they would be introduced,” ministry sources said.

The government wants to set up a National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) as an overarching body in higher education. The accreditation norms and standards will be laid down by the proposed NCHER. The accreditation body will follow the norms and give registration to all types of institutions,including those offering medical education. Institutions failing to get through the accreditation norms may be closed down or given certain amount of time to comply the requirements.

The government has planned the setting up of NCHER on the basis of recommendations of the Yashpal Committee and the National Knowledge Commission (NKC). Sources said that institutions like the education tribunal or the accreditation agency can exist in the present regulatory structure and transfer to the new regulatory structure after the NCHER comes into existence.

The PMO has sought views of the ministry about Yashpal’s objection to the proposal for setting of two overarching bodies — one in higher education and one in medical education,they said.

The Yashpal committee had suggested that there should be a single overarching body for all types of education,including medical education. Yashpal had shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the government planned two separate bodies.

The Committee had supported Constitutional amendment for creation of NCHER. All the ministries,except Law,have supported the Constitutional amendment. The HRD ministry is yet to take a decision on whether the NCHER will be a statutory body or a Constitutional body.