Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill to replace UGC, AICTE

• India plans to replace UGC and AICTE with a single higher education regulator, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA), via a new bill.
• The VBSA will be a 12-member apex body overseeing three councils for regulation, accreditation, and academic standards.
• The new bill removes UGC's grant disbursal role, with funding to be handled by the Ministry of Education.
• The proposed law applies to all central and state universities and higher education institutions, excluding professional courses like medicine and law.
• The VBSA will have significant punitive powers, including fines up to Rs 2 crore and the ability to suspend degree-awarding powers.

Why It Matters: Proposed bill centralizes India's higher education regulation, impacting colleges nationwide.