Reform 101

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Reform 101

News:

  1. The new Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill drafted by the Centre.

Important facts:

2.The proposed HECI is the successor to the University Grant Commission (UGC).

3.There are 864 recognised universities and 40,026 colleges in India during 2016-17.

4.However, Gross Enrolment Ratio was only about 26%.

5.At the time of independence, there were only 20 universities and 500 colleges.

6.Earlier, some expert committees and legislation had also advocated changes in education system reforms.

7.At the time when access to skill building and educational opportunity was very important, the Bill will have far reaching implications such as:

  • It will provide expansion and quality of human resource development.
  • The States are represented on the advisory council, giving it a federal character, However, the Centre will have the final say in all matters.
  • There is also proposal to include multi disciplines streams like Architecture and nursing.
  • The Bill will provide major reforms in higher education.
  • Aimed at replacing UGC, once it is done , the technical education regulator AICTE and the teachers’ education regulator NCTE will also be reformed on similar lines.

8.Despite having above positive aspects, the Bill is not free from contentious issues such as:

  • The Centre’s decision to shift grant-giving powers for higher education institutions to the Ministry of Human Resource Development or a separate body.
  • The UGC has been doing this so far.
  • Separation of funding decisions from political considerations.

9. The proposed HECI will face the following challenges:

  • Promoting autonomy
  • Access, inclusion and opportunity to all
  • Expansion of quality education
  • Balance on allocation of funds
  • Ensuring transparency
  • Resolutions in the future role of multiple regulatory bodies.
  • The Yash Pal committee  had recommended they should be brought under the umbrella of a single commission.

10. In order to address the above mentioned challenges following reforms are needed:

  • Creation of an agency that has the intellectual corpus to help universities and colleges adapt,
  • The vision to plan for public funding in the emerging spheres of activity.
  • Need to create a workforce that has the requisite skills.
  • The draft Bill have positive attempt in this direction to weed out degree mills and dubious training institutions .
Other key components of draft Bill:

  • Separates the academic and funding aspects of higher education.
  • It takes away funding powers from the proposed regulator and gives it powers to ensure academic quality and even close down bogus institutions.
  • However, there is no plan to merge all higher education regulators, as was proposed through a planned agency called HEERA.
  • HECI will be in charge of ensuring academic quality in universities and colleges.
  • The Ministry of Human Resource Development will be responsible for funding universities and colleges.
  • The Regulator will have powers to enforce compliance to the academic quality standards.
  • The regulators are also authorized to have the power to order closure of sub-standard and bogus institutions.
  • Non-compliance could result in fines or even a jail sentence.
  • Presently UGC had no such powers. It can only release a list of bogus institutions and not recognise their degrees.

UGC VS  HECI

1. The UGC’s regulatory power included quality assessment and giving grants. The HECI will just ensure academic quality while MHRD will give grants to institutions.

2. The UGC conducted inspections to assess institutions. The HECI will practically do away with these and shift to a regime of “transparent disclosures” instead.

3.  The UGC published lists of  bogus institutions once in a while. The HECI will be empowered to shutdown sub-standard and bogus institutions. Non –compliance by institutions  could also lead to jail terms.

 

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