On December 12, 2025, the Union Cabinet approved a new bill to create a single higher education regulator named the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan. This regulator will replace existing bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). An official confirmed, "The bill to set up Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan has been approved by the Cabinet." The UGC currently oversees non-technical higher education, AICTE covers technical education, and NCTE handles teachers’ education. The new commission will manage regulation, accreditation, and set professional standards for higher education. However, medical and law colleges will not fall under this regulator’s control. Funding responsibilities will remain with the administrative Ministry and are not part of the regulator's role. The idea of a unified regulator was first introduced in a 2018 draft bill. Under Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan since July 2021, efforts to realize this regulator gained momentum. The National Education Policy 2020 stresses the need for a complete overhaul in regulation to improve higher education. It states, "The regulatory system is in need of a complete overhaul in order to re-energise the higher education sector and enable it to thrive." It further specifies that regulation, accreditation, funding, and academic standards should be handled by separate independent bodies. This new bill marks a significant step towards transforming India's higher education system.