UGC, AICTE to be scrapped and replaced with HEERA

Currently work is on to frame the HEERA legislation.

The Narendra Modi 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 advocated a similar idea, but the same was never implemented.

Currently work is on to frame 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.

OneIndia News