Centre Concedes to States’ Demands on Higher Education Bill
Sobhana K. Nair, Abhinay Lakshman | 18 July 2026 | The Hindu
In response to the Andhra Pradesh government’s concerns over “centralisation” of powers in the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill 2025, the Union Education Ministry has agreed to several changes, including adding a provision requiring the proposed Regulatory Council to get the State government’s clearance before making any key decisions about colleges affiliated to the State universities.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) reviewing the Bill has recorded the Centre’s views in its draft report. The panel is scheduled to meet on Monday (July 20, 2026), when the report will be discussed. The committee has also recommended that one of the two contentious provisions—clause 47, which gives the Centre superseding powers over the regulatory framework—needs to be revised in its entirety.