Kerala joins Tamil Nadu urging Centre to withdraw UGC draft regulations, assembly passes resolution
Kerala's legislative assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the 2025 UGC draft regulations, urging the Centre to withdraw it and consult state governments and academic experts before introducing norms.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday (Jan 21) presented a resolution against the 2025 University Grants Commission (UGC) draft regulations in the state legislative assembly, urging the Centre to withdraw it. The resolution, passed unanimously, emphasized the need for extensive discussions with state governments and academic experts before introducing new norms.
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Vijayan highlighted the importance of state autonomy in education, citing the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1977, which moved education to the Concurrent List. This gives states the responsibility of establishing and supervising universities, while the Union Government coordinates and sets standards. Notably, state governments fund around 80% of university operations, playing a crucial role in ensuring quality education.
The resolution expressed concerns over the exclusion of state governments in key appointments, such as Vice Chancellors and teacher qualifications. Vijayan criticized the draft UGC norms for sidelining state authorities and introducing provisions that could commercialize higher education. The assembly requested the central government to reconsider the draft regulations and consult all stakeholders before issuing new guidelines.
This move follows Vijayan's earlier letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging him to review the proposed regulations. Alleging that it gave additional powers to the governors in the appointment of vice-chancellors, Tamil Nadu's assembly also passed a similar resolution earlier this month, calling for the withdrawal of the UGC draft regulation for 2025.
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