Thiruvananthapuram: Stepping up its opposition to the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations of 2025, non-BJP ruled states such as Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Jharkhand came together in Thiruvananthapuram Thursday at a national convention. They asserted that the draft UGC regulations undermine the authority of the state governments in the higher education sector.
Hosted by Kerala, this was the second such conclave by states opposing the draft regulations. The first conclave of higher education ministers from six states including Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Jharkhand, was held in Bengaluru on 5 February.
Speaking at Thursday’s conclave, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the national convention assumes significance as the regulations infringe upon the powers of the states in legislating higher education undermining the federal foundations of the country.
Vijayan said the onus is on the participant states to “re-affirming the role of states that establish and maintain state universities.”
The event was attended by Kerala’s Higher Education Minister Dr R. Bindu, Finance Minister N. Balagopal, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala V.D. Satheesan of the Congress, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Higher Education Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Dr M.C. Sudhakar and Dr Govi Chezhiaan, among others. Kerala’s opposition Congress and ruling LDF came together to oppose the regulations.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the draft regulations on 6 January, 2025. The Kerala Assembly, on 21 January, unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to withdraw the same. Furthermore, the state government appointed a five-member committee led by Prof. Prabhat Patnaik to prepare a document on the impact of the regulations. The committee’s report was also released at the conclave.
Vijayan said that the regulations do not envisage any role for the state governments in the appointment of Vice Chancellors of public universities established under the state acts, thus impinging on the legitimate rights of the states in a federal set up.
“If the chancellor can appoint anyone from a panel, undoubtedly, the appointment will be at the behest of the political powers that have appointed the governor, as in almost all state universities the governors are the chancellors,” he said. Vijayan said the appointment of assistant professors, especially about the non-requirement of a basic degree in the core subject concerned, will prove detrimental to the country’s higher education sector.
He added that provisions related to the consequences of violations of the draft regulations are drastic, excessive, and undemocratic, and require serious reconsideration.
Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said states have become mere spectators in their own universities due to the centralisation of higher education.
“Education can’t be run through a remote control in Delhi. If the centre believes in cooperative federalism, then cooperation must involve consultation. We are not asking for payments, we are just asserting our rights,” he said. Vikramarka announced that the Telangana government will host the next conclave on the subject in Hyderabad.
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Serious constitutional issues: report
The Prabhat Patnaik committee report observes that the draft regulation involves serious constitutional issues and amounts to an assault on the rights of states.
Professor Rajan Gurukkal, vice-chairman, Kerala Higher Education Council, and Professor N.V. Varghese, former vice chancellor, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, were among the committee members.
The report says that the power to establish and supervise the state government, as per the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule, limits the UGC’s role in coordinating and setting standards for higher education in consultation with universities.
“The draft regulations not only sideline the role of state governments, which contribute around 80 percent of the funding for state universities, but they also undermine the democratic functioning of universities,” it says.
The committee said appointing the vice-chancellor from the private sector, as proposed by the regulations, could lead to further commercialisation of higher education and erode its integrity, undermining academic freedom and critical thinking.
(Edited by Sudha V.)
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