Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, presented Union Budget 2021 lately on February 01, 2021. This year, the Finance Minister conferred Union Budget in tablet to promote the paperless budget concept. The recent budget not only discussed the development of the health department but also the education sector. As per the announcement, the conducting bodies such as UGC, AICTE, NCTE will merge into one. Also, the Nursing Council will also be replaced by the Midwifery Council.
As per the Union Budget 2021, The Union Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) will now incorporate into one single conducting body. These organizations will be replaced by the Higher Education Commission. The formation of this new commission will also be a part of the New Education policy.
Along with the UGC, NCTE and AICTE, the Nursing Council will also subside. It will be replaced by the Nursing and Midwifery Commission. As of now, no course falls under the Nursing Council. However, with the introduction of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, all groups of Nursing and Midwifery courses will be included in one council.
Ministry of Education has already commenced the legislation of the regulation of Higher Education. Once all the formalities regarding the New Education Policy are done, the announcement shall be made. It is expected the new bill introducing the Commission of Higher Education will be announced in the next Parliament session.
The concern for the replacement of UGC, AICTE and NCTE with the higher body was in talks for a past few years. This decision has been to and fro in the past decade. Amit Khare, Higher Education Secretary, in the recent virtual conference organized by FCCI also discussed the same. He said that people will see new changes in the year 2021. He also pointed towards the common admission test for entrance to all central universities. The Higher Education Secretary also announced that in the next session of 2021, “we will be having one single Education Commission of India”.
As per the reports, the Government of India was planning to appoint full-time members for the Higher Commission. However, now, the Finance Minister has confirmed the new Commission of Higher Education will replace statutory bodies – UGC, AICTE and NCTE. Also, the Nursing and Midwifery will replace the Nursing Council in the New Education Policy.
