‘Send HECI Bill 2025 to panel first’: Digvijaya Singh to education minister ahead of parliament winter session

The chairman of parliamentary standing committee on education Digvijaya Singh has written to education minister Dharmendra Pradhan stating that the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill 2025 should first be placed before the panel. Singh has also marked the copy of the letter to the minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju.

The HECI Bill 2025 is listed for introduction in parliament during the forthcoming winter session.

The HECI Bill 2025 will lead to the creation of the HECI, replacing the three existing higher regulatory authorities – University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

Digvijaya Singh is the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on education, women, children, youth and sports.

HECI Bill 2025 ‘significant legislation’

In his letter to Dharmendra Pradhan, Singh states, “I wanted to bring to your attention that the bill has been previously referred to the parliamentary standing committee on education. Given that it is a significant legislation which majorly rewrites the existing education governance architecture of the country, I believe it is critical that it is examined and discussed in the parliamentary standing committee before it is taken up by the parliament as a whole”.

The copy of the letter is with Academia360.

A Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Bill was drafted in 2018, which sought to repeal the UGC Act and set up the HECI. It was placed in the public domain for feedback and consultation with stakeholders but was never tabled in parliament.

Examining the bill later, the committee headed by Singh had raised concern that the proposed HECI could lead to closure of institutions in rural areas that suffer from infrastructure or faculty shortages and indirectly fuel privatisation.

Singh has also stipulated a deadline and said the committee should be given time till the end of the first phase of the budget session to examine the bill.

“This is after all the very purpose of the standing committee. I trust that you will give this matter the urgent attention it deserves,” added Singh.