NEW DELHI: The Centre has tasked a high-powered committee with reviewing and restructuring Association of Indian Universities (AIU) to align its mandate with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the proposed reforms under the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).
The move comes amid efforts to streamline governance of higher education, enhance institutional autonomy, and establish a globally competitive ecosystem for Indian universities, reports Manash Gohain.
The committee will submit its report within six months, during which AIU has been advised to maintain status quo.
The committee, chaired by Anil Sahasrabudhe , head of National Educational Technology Forum, is expected to examine AIU's role in the evolving regulatory landscape and suggest how it can support universities as they transition to HECI's unified framework. Its members include V Kamakoti, director, IIT-Madras; Nageshwar Rao, former VC, IGNOU; Shashikala Wanjari, VC, NIEPA; S Vidhyasubramaniam, VC, Sastra; and Pankaj Mittal, secretary general, AIU.
AIU, founded in 1925, has for long coordinated functioning of universities, evaluated foreign degrees, and promoted sports and cultural initiatives.
However, with NE envisioning a single regulator for higher education through HECI, AIU's operational structure and functions are being reassessed.
"The committee will examine operational issues and AIU's future role, including whether it should come under HECI," a member told TOI. "AIU's robust institutional network could be leveraged for global engagement and recognition of qualifications under the new system."
The restructuring also follows University Grants Commission 's notification of the Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions Regulations, 2025. The framework seeks to establish a standardised and transparent process for recognising foreign academic degrees in India, bolstering the government's "Study in India" initiative.
The move comes amid efforts to streamline governance of higher education, enhance institutional autonomy, and establish a globally competitive ecosystem for Indian universities, reports Manash Gohain.
The committee will submit its report within six months, during which AIU has been advised to maintain status quo.
The committee, chaired by Anil Sahasrabudhe , head of National Educational Technology Forum, is expected to examine AIU's role in the evolving regulatory landscape and suggest how it can support universities as they transition to HECI's unified framework. Its members include V Kamakoti, director, IIT-Madras; Nageshwar Rao, former VC, IGNOU; Shashikala Wanjari, VC, NIEPA; S Vidhyasubramaniam, VC, Sastra; and Pankaj Mittal, secretary general, AIU.
AIU, founded in 1925, has for long coordinated functioning of universities, evaluated foreign degrees, and promoted sports and cultural initiatives.
However, with NE envisioning a single regulator for higher education through HECI, AIU's operational structure and functions are being reassessed.
"The committee will examine operational issues and AIU's future role, including whether it should come under HECI," a member told TOI. "AIU's robust institutional network could be leveraged for global engagement and recognition of qualifications under the new system."
The restructuring also follows University Grants Commission 's notification of the Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications Obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions Regulations, 2025. The framework seeks to establish a standardised and transparent process for recognising foreign academic degrees in India, bolstering the government's "Study in India" initiative.
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