Protect State's rights, launch email campaign against UGC draft regulations, urges TN Minister

CHENNAI: Reiterating Tamil Nadu's stance in opposing the University Grants Commission's (UGC's) recent draft regulation 2025, which is taking away the rights of the state, Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan on Tuesday urged the people of the state to protest through an email campaign.

Claiming that if the new regulation of the UGC was implemented, the State would lose its control over higher education, the minister said. "The UGC should immediately withdraw its proposal as already several states were protesting to scrap the move," he added.

Stating that the central government's attempts to take over higher education will fail, he said, "It is important for the educationists, students and parents to understand how the Centre has created several hurdles for the state from basic education to higher education."

The minister also said that the elected State government has the full right to choose its own requirements for both school and higher education. "The new regulations by the UGC is trying to impose and compel the state-run universities to adopt it," he said.

Pointing out that the University Grants Commission is trying to remove the rights of the states in appointing vice-chancellors and trying to give full power to the Governor, he said, "It has also failed to consult the states' view before coming out with the new regulations."

Chezhiaan said that multiple entry and exit systems will do more harm than promoting higher education and is contrary to the concept of university education itself. "This will increase the dropout rate in higher education", he added.

Referring to the UGC's appeal to the stakeholders to submit their feedback and suggestions to its new regulations, Govi Chezhiaan urged the people to file their opposition towards the UGC's new policy at regulations@ugc.gov.in.

Already, Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged all states to unite against UGC's draft regulations.