Education sector experts caution that establishment of Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) by repealing University Grants Commission (UGC) should be done only after wider public debate and consultations. They also hope that HECI will push education reforms instead becoming yet another institution marked by red tapism.
Planning Commission's former member and University of Mumbai's former vice-chancellor Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar said the Centre's move will be counter-productive as the UGC, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Education need structural changes as they have become moribund and rigid.
"Repeal of UGC will open up Pandora's box," Dr Mungekar said, "The proposed commission will need decentralisation of various academic disciplines. Education sector should not be equated with private firm or industry or market regulator SEBI as it is a service provider. Government should be extremely cautious in the setting up of HECI and it should not rush to table the bill." He insisted that the bill should be released on a public platform to seek suggestions and objections.
Mumbai University's former vice-chancellor Dr Rajan Velukar said that mere change in the nomenclature will not help reform the education sector. "The proposed HECI needs to be supported by human resource and technological intervention with the mindset of 21st century. HECI should help expedite reform process, decision making and policy implementation," he said.
Rajasthan University's former vice-chancellor Dr AD Sawant argued that UGC should not be repealed. "The government should not tamper with and dismantle it and other existing institutions; instead they should be restructured," is his view. "Education sector needs to be handled carefully considering the present sorry state of affairs."
