Higher Education Commission: Centralisation or Marketisation?

The Aam Aadmi Party's teachers' wing criticizes the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) as a move towards marketisation of education. They argue it centralizes control, replacing democratic structures with appointed boards, risking state autonomy and disadvantaging resource-poor institutions.

The Aam Aadmi Party's teachers' wing has raised concerns over the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), labeling it a potential avenue for marketisation and commodification within the education sector. They assert that it represents a shift towards centralized control, weakening democratic governance structures.

Scheduled for introduction in the Winter Session of Parliament, the HECI Bill aims to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act of 1956 by aligning with the National Education Policy's (NEP) design to separate regulatory functions from funding. The Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers' Association (AADTA) warns that institutions could be left vulnerable to market forces.

The HECI's accreditation-based regulation might defund institutions in poorer regions lacking resources. By enforcing a centralized governance model, it risks marginalizing less quantifiable disciplines and further restricting diversity and social justice. The education ministry is urged to make the bill public for broader consultations.

(With inputs from agencies.)