Correct option is D
The correct answer is (d) Higher Education Commission of India Bill.
In 2018, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now the Ministry of Education) introduced the Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Bill, 2018. This draft legislation aimed to repeal the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act of 1956 and establish a new regulatory body, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). The primary objective was to enhance academic standards and quality in higher education by focusing on learning outcomes, teaching standards, and research benchmarks. The proposed HECI was envisioned to have the authority to grant or revoke authorization for higher educational institutions to commence academic operations, ensuring compliance with specified norms of academic quality. Additionally, the HECI would have the power to enforce its decisions through legal provisions, including ordering the closure of sub-standard institutions. The draft bill was placed in the public domain for comments and suggestions from stakeholders, reflecting the government's commitment to reforming the regulatory systems in higher education.
Information Booster:
Objective: To establish the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) by repealing the UGC Act, 1956.
Focus Areas: Improving academic standards, specifying norms for learning outcomes, and enhancing quality in higher education.
Powers of HECI: Authorization to grant or revoke permission for academic operations, enforce compliance, and order closure of non-compliant institutions.
Separation of Functions: The bill proposed separating academic and funding roles, with HECI focusing solely on academic matters.
Stakeholder Engagement: The draft bill was released for public consultation to gather feedback from educationists, stakeholders, and the general public.
Regulatory Reform: Part of broader efforts to reform higher education regulation, aiming for less government interference and more governance.
Advisory Council: The bill proposed the formation of an Advisory Council chaired by the Union Minister of Human Resource Development to advise on coordination and determination of standards in higher education.
Additional Knowledge:
(a) Higher Education Reforms Bill: This is a generic term and not the official name of any specific bill introduced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to repeal the UGC Act.
(b) University Education Reforms Bill: No such bill with this title has been proposed or introduced to replace the UGC Act.
(c) University Education Commission Bill: This is not the correct title of the bill aimed at repealing the UGC Act.
(d) Higher Education Commission of India Bill: Correct. This is the official title of the draft bill introduced in 2018 to repeal the UGC Act, 1956, and establish the HECI.