What to Expect from the First Meeting on the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill?

The joint committee of Parliament is set to convene for the first time to discuss the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, which aims to establish a unified higher education regulator. This meeting will feature briefings from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Law and Justice. The VBSA Bill seeks to streamline the higher education regulatory framework in line with the National Education Policy 2020, addressing concerns about federalism and institutional autonomy. The committee, led by BJP MP D Purandeswari, will also gather input from various stakeholders before finalizing its recommendations.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 25, 2026, 20:28 IST

Parliament's Joint Committee to Discuss Higher Education Regulation

New Delhi: The inaugural session of the joint parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill is scheduled for Thursday.

As per the agenda provided to committee members, representatives from the Ministry of Education (Department of Higher Education) and the Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department) will present information regarding the proposed legislation during this initial meeting.

This committee, consisting of 31 members, is chaired by BJP MP D Purandeswari.

A notification from the Lok Sabha secretariat dated February 10 indicates that the committee includes members from both houses of Parliament and will evaluate the bill's provisions before delivering its report.

The VBSA Bill, which was introduced in the Winter session, aims to reform the higher education regulatory landscape in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The legislation intends to consolidate various existing regulatory bodies into a single entity while ensuring the separation of accreditation, funding, and standard-setting roles.

The government has expressed its intention to refer the bill to a joint committee for broader consultations, addressing concerns raised by opposition parties regarding federalism, institutional independence, and the centralization of authority.

The joint committee is anticipated to seek input from various stakeholders, including state governments and educational institutions, prior to finalizing its recommendations.

Committee members include Anurag Singh Thakur, Vivek Thakur, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Vamsi Krishna Gaddam, Tejasvi Surya, Sribharat Mathukumilli, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Pradip Kumar Varma, Meenakshi Jain, M Thambidurai, Sagarika Ghosh, Sambit Patra, Hemang Joshi, Sougata Ray, Indra Hang Subba, Digvijaya Singh, E T Mohammed Basheer, Sasmit Patra, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Bansuri Swaraj, Brijmohan Agrawal, Lalji Verma, Ram Gopal Yadav, Surendra Singh Nagar, Varsha Gaikwad, Alok Kumar Suman, Anil Desai, Sanjay Kumar Jha, T R Baalu, and Shrikant Shinde.