Modi Mark HEERA To Replace UGC, AICTE  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP-led government is all set to scrap UGC and AICTE and replace it with one higher education regulator called HEERA. The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will be replaced by the Higher Education Empowerment Regulation Agency (HEERA).

In early March the Prime Minister had chaired a meeting on education following which the decision was taken. Several experts had earlier advocated a similar idea, but it was never implemented.

A high level committee is currently working on the framework of the HEERA legislation. A detailed blue-print will be prepared following which the legislation would come into force. Officials have termed replacing UGC and AICTE as one of the cleanest, most sweeping reform.

The new regulatory legislation will be short and clean and would also outline minimum standards which would focus on outcomes. Further, a single regulator will bring in greater synergy among institutions and would also help in framing better curricula. Moreover, the separation of technical and non-technical education is out of sync. The new body would be empowered to take strong penal action and this would end the inspector raj and harassment that the UGC regime has been accused of.

What is HEERA's objective

HEERA would be a single regulator. Scrapping UGC and AICTE would mean the elimination of overlaps in the jurisdiction. It would also do away the regulatory provisions which are irrelevant. HEERA is aimed to put an end to the inspector raj and harassment that the UGC regime is associated with. The new body will also be empowered to take strong penal action when necessary.

Who is working on it

A committee comprising of officials from the Human Resources Development Ministry and the Niti Aayog is working on the new institutions. Several committees had earlier recommended the setting up of HEERA. It was suggested during the UPA era. However, the reform never took place.