New Delhi: A Bill seeking to establish a single regulator for higher education institutions in the country is likely to be introduced in Parliament next week after receiving approval from the Union Cabinet on Friday, officials said.

The proposed legislation, earlier known as the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, has now been renamed the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill. It aims to reform the governance of higher education by creating a unified regulatory framework and enabling universities and other institutions to function as independent, self-governing bodies.

As envisaged under the National Education Policy (NEP), the proposed single regulator will replace existing bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). However, medical and law colleges will remain outside its ambit.

“The Bill proposes to set up a Higher Education Commission of India to facilitate autonomy of universities and higher educational institutions and promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of regulation, accreditation and standards,” an official said, adding that it is likely to be taken up in Parliament in the coming week.

At present, the UGC regulates non-technical higher education, AICTE oversees technical education, while the NCTE is responsible for teacher education. The proposed commission is intended to streamline oversight by bringing these functions under one umbrella.

Officials said the new regulator will have three primary verticals — regulation, accreditation, and setting of professional and academic standards. Funding, considered a separate vertical, will not be brought under the commission for now. Financial autonomy and allocation are proposed to remain with the respective administrative ministries.

The move is aimed at reducing regulatory overlap, improving accountability and enhancing the overall quality of higher education in line with the government's vision of a Viksit Bharat.