Ministers for Higher Education and their representatives from the opposition ruled six states have opposed the draft proposal of the University Grant Commission (UGC) announced recently regarding minimum qualifications and appointment rules of teachers and academic staff in universities and colleges.
A 15-point joint resolution was passed by the ministers in a meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday representing Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka.
In the resolution, the states said that the BJP-headed Union government is trying to push its agenda and ideology through the new regulations, undermining federal principles.
A minister, after attending the meeting, said, “Even some parties that are in alliance with BJP have expressed their objection to the UGC draft regulations, including the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, Janata Dal United (JDU), and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP-Ram Vilas) of Bihar and West Bengal, which has constituted an expert committee to look into it.”. The ministers urged the Union government to immediately withdraw the draft from them and hold a collective consultation with states; they decided to wait for UGC’s decision and take a call on the next course of action.
“In this regulation, the states have no power in the appointment of vice chancellors, and the governor has been given complete power. However, all the functions, including the development of infrastructure of the universities, recruitment, salary, and other rules, are carried out by the state governments.”.
They stressed the UGC is only the regulatory body, and it cannot override the state.
