It was over a decade ago that the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) recommended the establishment of an Independent Regulatory Authority in Higher Education (IRAHE), to replace all the existing regulatory bodies in higher education, including the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). UGC, AICTE, the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) and the Distance Education Council (DEC) presently operating as the Distance Education Bureau (DEB) under UGC. Multiplicity of regulatory bodies has indeed been a major issue in reforming the regulatory framework in higher education and the idea of a single regulator, once fructified, shall be a relief for the higher educational institutions. UGC, which was almost the sole regulator in higher education since its establishment in 1956, was found lacking in providing direction to the rapid changes in higher education, particularly in the areas of technical and professional higher education, open and distance mode of learning and teacher education. Further, the new regulatory body must realise that higher education being in the concurrent list, the state government plays a critical role in the development of higher education and that they must be actively involved in the evolution of the new regulatory framework.

Source: dna May 28, 2018 02:26 UTC