CM: UGC draft rules blow to federal system

CM: UGC draft rules blow to federal system

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  09.01.2025

Bengaluru : CM Siddaramaiah condemned the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) 2025 draft regulations which give governors sweeping powers to appoint vice-chancellors (VC) in state universities, insisting that it is another blow to federalism and ‘betrayal’ of Kannadigas. 

Currently, the state constitutes a search committee comprising four members — one each picked by the chancellor, UGC, state govt and the syndicate to appoint VCs. But the draft University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025, released Monday, revised selection processes, proposing handing authority to chancellors or visitors to constitute a three member committee to appoint VCs. The governor and the Siddaramaiah-led govt have been on a warpath for some time now. During the winter session of the legislature last year, the assembly passed Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University (Amendment) Bill, 2024, removing the governor as head of the university. An amendment to Karnataka State Universities Act is also in the works and is expected to curb powers of the governor. The draft UGC norms have thus not gone down well with the state. 

‘Unnecessary interference’ “Ever since the NDA govt led by Narendra Modi came to the helm at the Centre, governors have been unnecessarily interfering in the appointment of VCs in state universities, often ignoring the state govt’s recommendations and imposing their choices,” Siddaramaiah said. “The management of the education sector is a prerogative of the sta te govt, and unnecessary interference could lead to conflicts between the central and state govts. The state govt will not tolerate actions that undermine the federal system. Discussions will be held with non-BJP states to decide the next steps.” He pointed out that the draft regulations state advertisements to appoint VCs should be placed in national newspapers, inviting applications. “This poses the risk of non-native individuals occupying VC positions in state universities, which were previously limited to scholars from the respective states,” Siddaramaiah said. He also opposed the proposal on eligibility of VCs. The draft states VCs can be experts from fields other than academia, such as public and private sector entrepreneurs and public policy administrators. “This is a betrayal to Kannadigas,” the chief minister said.

Attempt to snatch autonomy: AIDSO There has been opposition to the draft from other quarters as well. All-India Democratic Students Organisations (AIDSO) has urged UGC to immediately withdraw “the undemocratic draft”. “This is an attempt to snatch autonomy and democratic rights of universities and hand over the administration of universities to businesspersons, officials and govt representatives who have no connection with students or universities and are only capable of profit-loss calculations,” it said on the proposal to open up VC posts to non-academicians.