Teachers Oppose VBSA Bill Over Autonomy, Funding Concerns

• Teachers' bodies oppose the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, citing concerns over university autonomy, public funding, and teachers' service conditions.
• The VBSA Bill, introduced in Lok Sabha, aims to overhaul higher education regulation by replacing UGC, AICTE, and NCTE with a single apex body and three councils.
• A major concern is that the proposed VBSA will lack funding powers, unlike the UGC, shifting grant disbursal to the Ministry of Education.
• Critics argue this shift could weaken public-funded higher education and make funding allocation more bureaucratic and politically driven.
• The government defends the Bill, stating it aligns with NEP 2020 and aims to reduce over-regulation and improve transparency through a single digital portal.

Why It Matters: Proposed education bill could undermine university autonomy, funding, and teacher conditions.