New Delhi: The Higher Education Commission that is being constituted is likely to be empowered to impose fines from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 5 crore on higher education institutions that flout the norms.

Serious violation of the rules will invite also imprisonment up to 5 years. The commission will also have the authority to take action against the head of the institution.

The Bill, aimed at integrating institutions such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), is likely to be piloted in Parliament during the winter session. At present, the UGC which has jurisdiction over non-technical institutions, is empowered to impose a fine of only Rs 1,000 for violation of rules. Even forming a fake university invites only such a fine at present.

The commission will consist of 15 members. One Vice Chancellor from universities and two professors from the higher education councils of States will become members. A Vice Chancellor from a Central university, Secretaries of the Departments of Higher Education and Finance, legal experts, and leading businesspersons too will be members.

The Commission will replace institutions such as the UGC, AICTE, and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

Only the medical and legal education sectors will be exempted from the Commission’s purview.