In a bid to promote international quality education, the HRD Ministry has embarked to a project that will set up 20 world-class institutions (WCI). The decision comes after Prime Minister's Office (PMO) suggestion. It is acknowledged that the NITI Aayog has also urged the HRD Ministry for the same and for the freedom of world-class institution from regulating councils.

Following the meeting which was held between PMO, HRD Ministry and NITI Aayog, the Higher Education Secretary V S Oberoi pointed out that granting freedom to selected few institutes might appear discriminatory to other centrally funded institutes.  

The NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant had written to the PMO urging for changes in the draft UGC regulations. The proposed regulation known as UGC (Declaration of Educational Institutions as World Class Institutions) Guidelines intends to set up 20 world-class institutes for both private and public institutes.

According to Amitabh Kant letter's to PMO, the NITI Aayog vouched that the world-class institutions should enjoy autonomy and shall not be regulated under professional councils such as All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the Medical Council of India, and Architecture Council of India.