The Bill proposes to make the NCHER the apex body in higher education following dissolution of all such bodies as the UGC, AICTE, NCTE and others controlling higher education in India. The Bill also proposes that the selection of the vice-chancellor of a university will be done through a collegium centrally and the state government will not have much of a role to play.

The state government has reservations on both the provisions of the Bill.  “The Centre is saying these changes are being made on the basis of Yashpal Committee report. I don’t think it is true,” the minister said.

He said during the discussion on the Bill held in Kolkata recently between officials of the state education department and a task force on NCHER sent by the central government, a joint secretary of the Union HRD ministry had said a meeting of ministers of the states under the banner of CABE (Central Advisory Board of Education) would be held to discuss the issue.

“No such meeting has been held so far. On April 30, I wrote a letter to Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal expressing our reservations saying it would not be possible to accept the Bill in its present form,” Roychowdhury said.

He said the higher education is in the concurrent list and the decision should be taken in consultation with the states but the UPA-II government is formulating policies on higher education on its own.

The minister also criticised the Foreign University Bill, which enables foreign universities to set up campuses in India, and provide degrees to the students. He said all attempts are being made to open the huge market for higher education in the country.