Kerala Higher Education Minister urges MPs to oppose VBSA Bill

Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M. John has appealed to all members of Parliament from the State to oppose the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, arguing that several of its provisions would centralise control over higher education and weaken the constitutional role of States.

In a letter addressed to Kerala MPs in both Houses of Parliament, Mr. John said while the government was projecting the Bill as a reform measure aimed at improving higher education, research and innovation, he contended that its provisions had wider constitutional implications.

“Beneath the language of reform lies a framework that concentrates unprecedented powers in the Union government, weakens the constitutional role of the States, and threatens the autonomy of institutions”, the Minister said.

Mr. John argued that the Bill departed from the principle of cooperative federalism and pointed to Clause 49, which, he said, would allow the proposed law to override inconsistent State enactments.

Governance structure

He also raised concerns over the governance structure envisaged under the Bill, especially the limited rotational representation for States in the Viksit Bharat Shikha Adhisthan, the apex body that would be replacing the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). 

The Minister further argued that the Bill authorised the Central government to issue binding directions on matters described as ‘questions of policy and empowers it to supersede regulatory bodies.

Urging the MPs to oppose the Bill in its current form, the Minister said the legislation should be revised to strengthen, rather than diminish, the partnership between the Union and the States.