India's Lok Sabha has been a hive of legislative activity on December 15, 2025, with the tabling of key bills impacting the nuclear sector, higher education, and the streamlining of outdated laws. These moves signal the government's intent to modernize critical sectors and align them with the nation's developmental goals.

Nuclear Energy Sector Set for Overhaul

The most significant development is the introduction of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill 2025, also known as the SHANTI Bill. This landmark legislation aims to open India's civil nuclear sector to private participation, ending the monopoly of state-owned entities. The bill seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010, which have long been viewed as impediments to the sector's growth.

The SHANTI Bill encourages public-private partnerships and joint ventures to promote the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) at scale. It also focuses on creating a strong regulatory framework for the safe and secure utilization of nuclear energy. By allowing private companies to invest in nuclear power, the bill aims to ensure a round-the-clock supply of clean electricity, supplementing solar and wind energy to meet India's growing energy demands. The government hopes that this will help achieve its ambitious target of installing 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, a significant jump from the current 7.5 GW.

A key feature of the bill is the reworking of liability provisions. It exempts equipment suppliers from liability in case of a nuclear incident, confining liability to the operators, except in cases of grave natural disasters, armed conflict, or terrorism. The maximum liability for each nuclear incident is set at the rupee equivalent of 300 million Special Drawing Rights, or a higher amount as specified by the central government. The bill also proposes establishing an Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council for dispute resolution.

Higher Education to Get a Single Regulator

In a bid to reform the higher education landscape, the Lok Sabha also tabled the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025. This bill proposes a single regulator for higher education, replacing existing bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). The new body, named Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA), will set standards, coordinate policies, and support institutions.

The VBSA will have three main wings: the Regulatory Council, the Accreditation Council, and the Standards Council. The Accreditation Council will assess and rate colleges and universities using a common quality framework. The Standards Council will define academic quality benchmarks and set learning outcomes. The bill aims to provide universities with more freedom while maintaining quality through a transparent accreditation system. However, the new regulator will not supervise medical and law colleges.

The bill has been referred to a joint committee of both houses for detailed examination. While the bill grants the new regulatory body wide-ranging powers, it also aims to incorporate adequate checks and balances through consultation and deliberation with all stakeholders, especially states, to build a positive consensus on major issues.

Repealing Outdated Laws

The Lok Sabha also introduced a bill to repeal 71 laws that have outlived their utility. The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025, seeks to remove acts that have become obsolete or unnecessary, streamlining the legal framework. Of the 71 laws, 65 are amendments to principal acts, and six are principal laws that have become outdated. One such law is the British-era Indian Tramways Act of 1886. Since 2014, the government has repealed 1,562 old laws, and this bill will bring the total to 1,633.

The bill also proposes eliminating the requirement of court-sanctioned probates in presidency towns for wills under the Indian Succession Act, 1925, deeming the provision discriminatory. It also seeks to remove a clause from Section 370 of the Indian Succession Act, which exempted Christians from securing a succession certificate, calling it a relic of colonial rule.

These legislative moves indicate a strong push towards modernizing India's legal and regulatory landscape. By opening the nuclear sector to private players, reforming higher education, and repealing outdated laws, the government aims to create a more efficient, transparent, and investor-friendly environment, aligning with the vision of a developed India by 2047.