INDIA: Six education reform bills in pipeline

India's Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said last week that he will introduce six new bills, including one to replace existing education regulators with a commission, reports Sindh Today. "Our ministry has circulated the draft bill about an autonomous overarching authority for higher education. We would like to introduce it in the next parliamentary session," Sibal said while announcing his Ministry's achievements in last 100 days.

The proposed commission will replace institutions like the University Grants Commission and the All India Council of Technical Education. Sibal said the Central Advisory Board of Education had already discussed the recommendation and the Ministry had set up a task force to aid and advise the government on setting up the proposed National Commission for Higher Education and Research.

A bill to prevent, prohibit and punish educational malpractices is undergoing "legal vetting", he added. The ministry is also set to introduce legislation in the coming parliament session to allow foreign universities to open campuses in India. The other two legislative initiatives are aimed at having a tribunal to deal with higher education disputes and amending the Copyright Act.
Full report on the Sindh Today site