Universities, institutes call for separate grant-disbursing authority under VBSA structure
Universities and institutes are calling for a dedicated grant-disbursing authority within the proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) structure. Concerns have been raised that the current bill lacks a clear mechanism for financial support, potentially creating uncertainty for public institutions.
Why it matters
This debate is central to the future of higher education funding in India as the government moves to consolidate regulatory bodies.
Before the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, institutes and universities across the country have sought a clear framework from the Centre to continue the grant disbursal commitments currently under the University Grants Commission.
This came even as members of the JPC, including from the ruling BJP, flagged concerns that the Bill “does not expressly create a mechanism for institutional financial support”.
The VBSA Bill was introduced by the government to overhaul the higher education regulatory framework and intends to replace the UGC, the All India Council for Technical Education, and the National Council for Teacher Education with a single umbrella Commission, under which separate regulatory, accreditation, and standards councils will operate. The Bill notably divorces grant-disbursal powers currently held by the UGC from the regulator under the new structure.
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