-1783925660081.png)
The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, which is set to be introduced during the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 17, has drawn objections from stakeholders, universities, NDA-ruled states including Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya, as well as industry bodies, The Hindu reported.
What Does the VBSA Bill Propose?
The VBSA Bill proposes a complete overhaul of India’s higher education regulatory framework by abolishing the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), replacing them with a single apex regulatory body called the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA).
Andhra Pradesh, a BJP Ally, Mounts the Sharpest Opposition
Andhra Pradesh, governed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a BJP ally, registered one of the strongest objections to the proposed legislation. The state told the panel that several provisions of the Bill could render the state’s legislative authority over higher education meaningless. Flagging Clause 11, the state said it could create “constitutional friction” by allowing the regulatory body to bypass state universities while granting degrees, The Hindu reported.
Meghalaya’s National People’s Party (NPP)-led government pitched a clearer division of powers between the Centre and the states, while BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh expressed concerns over the inadequate representation of states in the proposed regulatory council.
According to The Hindu, the Bill proposes leaving standards and accreditation with the Centre while keeping the governance, staffing and financing of universities under the states’ jurisdiction.
Telangana Seeks Deletion of Clause 11
Congress-ruled Telangana sought the complete deletion of Clause 11, arguing that the Bill could potentially lead to fee escalation, The Hindu reported. The state government also described Clause 45 as the Bill’s “single most centralising” provision, saying it gives the Centre the final authority in disputes involving state universities without providing a corresponding role to state authorities.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh, on July 10, 2026, urged NDA-ruled states, particularly Andhra Pradesh, to oppose the Bill during the parliamentary session, The Hindu reported.
“An Arm of the Government of the Day,” Says BHU
Several institutions, including Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the Central University of Rajasthan, the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Chittoor, and multiple state universities across Assam, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir, also raised concerns over the Bill’s centralising provisions.
BHU told the committee that Clause 47, which empowers the Centre to suspend the VBSA for up to six months, with the option of extending the suspension by another six months, risks turning the regulator into “an arm of the government of the day”. The university also argued that Clause 45, which gives the Centre binding authority over policy decisions, effectively subordinates the regulator to the executive.
