6 opposition-ruled states demand roll back of UGC draft rules

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New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) Hitting out at the Centre over the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, the Congress on Wednesday said the justification that the rules have been updated for compliance with the National Education Policy does not withstand scrutiny and must be rolled back.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the State Higher Education Ministers Conclave was hosted in Bengaluru by Karnataka minister M C Sudhakar with six ministers or their representatives from Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand (all-opposition ruled states) adopting a 15-point resolution on the UGC's "draconian" draft Regulations, 2025.

"The constitutional principle of federalism is sacrosanct and the quality of higher education should be one of the ultimate endeavours of the Ministry of Education. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 does not prevail over either and the justification that the rules have been updated for compliance with the NEP 2020 does not withstand scrutiny," he said.

These draft regulations must be rolled back immediately, Ramesh asserted.

The Conclave was organised by the Department of Higher Education, government of Karnataka on Wednesday to discuss the various provisions of the draft University Grants Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education Regulations, 2025 and Grading of Higher Education Institutions based on implementation of NEP 2020.

In a joint statement, they said the state governments must be given a pivotal role in the appointment of vice chancellors to state public universities. They asserted that the draft UGC regulations do not envisage any role for the state governments in the appointment of the vice chancellors of public universities established under state Acts and thus, impinge on the legitimate rights of the state in a federal setup.

"The regulations severely curtail the rights of the states in constituting the search-cum-selection committees for selection of vice chancellors," the ministers said.

The provision relating to appointing non-academies to be appointed as vice chancellors requires to be withdrawn, they said.

The qualifications, term and eligibility for appointment of vice chancellors require a reconsideration as they impinge the standards of higher education, the statement said.

"The removal of the Academic Performance Indicator (API) system of evaluation and introduction of the new system allows a high-level of discretion and must be re-evaluated," the statement said.

Several provisions related to appointment of assistant professors require a serious re-consideration including the provisions related to non-requirement of a basic degree in the core subject concerned, the statement said.

More clarity is sought on the provisions related to contractual appointments or guest faculty or visiting faculty, professor of practice emeritus professor before finalisation of the guidelines, it said.

The provisions related to consequences of violations of the draft UGC regulations are drastic, excessive, undemocratic and require serious reconsideration, it said.

"Imposing all the proposals in the NEP as mandatory and taking punitive measures for non-compliance are really dictatorial and are against the spirit of autonomy of the states in a federal framework, the statement said.

More emphasis in regulations is required on industry-academia collaboration to enhance innovation and research eco system in public universities, it said.

The draft regulations and grading parameters are designed to promote private institutions, ignoring the welfare aspect of government/public institutions, the statement said.

Making an entrance exam mandatory for basic undergraduate courses is a huge barrier to providing inclusive education and promotions, biannual examinations, last-track degree programmes, dual degrees, multiple entry and exit require further deliberations and clarity before implementation, the statement said.

There is thus a need to immediately withdraw the draft UGC regulations 2025, it said.

The UGC must engage in a collaborative, consultative process with the states in framing these regulations in the spirit of cooperative federalism, the statement said. PTI ASK ASK KSS KSS