UGC draft regulations will curb states’ rights: Min Chezhiaan

CHENNAI: Reiterating Tamil Nadu’s stance, Minister for Higher Education Govi Chezhiaan said that the UGC’s draft regulation 2025 would snatch the rights of the states across the country, and urged the commission to withdraw its proposal immediately.

Participating in the Karnataka government’s national conclave of ministers for higher education on Wednesday at Bengaluru, Chezhiaan said that regulations would curb the states’ rules and regulations for universities.

“UGC regulations are only recommendations and suggestions. So, the commission cannot compel the states to implement it. It seems that the goal of these regulations is to implement National Education Policy (NEP) instead of improving the standards of higher education,” pointed out Chezhiaan. “TN has allocated Rs 8,212 crore for higher education, which is 17% of the total allocation by the centre.”

Adding that every State had the right to run its own universities, he stated: “It’s disappointing that there are no educationists on the search panel to appoint Vice Chancellors in the UGC regulation.”