Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on Friday urged NDA-ruled states, particularly Andhra Pradesh, to oppose the proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Act (VBSA) Bill, 2025, during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging that the legislation represents a constitutional overreach and threatens the autonomy of India’s higher education institutions.
In a post on social media platform X, Ramesh appealed to NDA-ruled states to submit dissent notes and oppose the legislation when it comes up for consideration in Parliament.
“If NDA-ruled states, especially Andhra Pradesh, have the courage of their convictions, they must submit dissent notes and oppose the VBSA Bill, 2025, when it is taken up in the forthcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament,” he said.
Describing the proposed legislation as a “Very Bad Shiksha Act”, Ramesh outlined what he termed four major concerns with the Bill, arguing that it goes well beyond the constitutional powers available to Parliament under Entry 66 of the union List.
According to Ramesh, while Entry 66 empowers Parliament only to legislate on the coordination and determination of standards in higher education and research institutions, the proposed Bill extends the authority of the new commission into areas that fall within the legislative domain of states. He contended that the Bill encroaches upon powers reserved for state legislatures under Entry 32 of the State List relating to the incorporation, regulation and winding up of universities, thereby violating India’s federal structure.
The Congress leader also criticised the absence of a dedicated grants council in the proposed framework, saying the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had envisaged a Higher Education Council of India comprising four verticals, including an autonomous body for grant allocation. He alleged that under the proposed law, grant-giving powers would effectively shift from academic bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to the union Education Ministry.
“This centralization of power is a departure from current practice, a violation of the NEP, and a threat to the autonomy of our universities,” Ramesh said.
Expressing concern over the impact on Institutions of National Importance (INIs), including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), Ramesh said these institutions have historically enjoyed academic autonomy under their respective statutes.
Referring to Clause 49 of the draft Bill, he claimed that the proposed law would have an overriding effect over existing legislation and could potentially bring these premier institutions under the regulatory powers of the proposed commission, despite assurances that their autonomy would not be compromised.
Ramesh further alleged that the Bill dilutes the consultative mechanisms currently embedded in the UGC Act. He said the existing law requires the UGC to consult universities while framing regulations, determining standards, and conducting inspections, whereas the proposed legislation grants wide discretionary powers to the councils without a statutory requirement for consultation.
“The regulator is now statutorily siloed off from the institutions,” he said.
The Congress leader also took a swipe at Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, claiming that although Naidu had opposed the Centre’s delimitation proposals, he was compelled to support them. Ramesh argued that the political situation had now changed and urged the TDP chief to oppose the VBSA Bill if he believed it was detrimental to the interests of states.
“So, if he believes that the VBSA is not in the interests of states, he must stand up boldly and be counted,” Ramesh said.
The proposed Viksit Bharat Shiksha Act, 2025, seeks to replace the existing higher education regulatory framework with a new institutional structure. The legislation is expected to be taken up during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, where it is likely to trigger a debate over the balance between regulatory reform, institutional autonomy, and the constitutional distribution of powers between the union and the states.
