New Delhi: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has defended the new Draft Regulations, 2025 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and said that it provides more power to universities and empowers state governments to decide on the selection process of teachers in colleges falling under their purview.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha in response to a question by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Selvaganapathi T.M. and Janata Dal (United) MP Dinesh Chandra Yadav on whether the new draft rules may pose serious challenges to the academic integrity, autonomy and inclusive development of state universities and infringe on the rights of state governments, Pradhan said that they “provide more autonomy and inclusive development of the state universities.”
The Union government had released the draft UGC rules on January 6 for feedback.
The draft has a new selection process for vice-chancellors of universities – which allows chancellors i.e. state governors who are Union government appointees to have a bigger say in appointing them.
This is being seen as a fresh attempt by the Narendra Modi government to strike at federalism and reduce the power of states.
“The draft UGC Regulations, 2025 provide more autonomy and inclusive development of the state universities. The draft regulations provide more power to universities in the selection process of teachers,” said Pradhan in his written reply.
“The selection committees of universities will decide on the quality of research publications, the reputation of publishers, etc., based on the input from external experts, rather than the fixed numerical score known as Academic Performance Index. The eligibility criteria for appointment and promotion have been simplified and broadened in the draft regulations.”
Pradhan’s response comes days after representatives, including the ministers for higher education, from seven states passed a 15-point joint resolution opposing the new draft rules of the UGC, as well as the grading of higher education institutions based on the New Education Policy 2020.
The states raised multiple objections to the draft regulations and underlined that the proposed rules violate the “federal set-up” of governance, urging the Union government to withdraw it.
In his response, Pradhan said that the new draft rules “empowers state governments”.
“It empowers state governments to decide on the selection process of teachers in colleges falling under their purview,” he said.
“These draft regulations have been placed in the public domain for feedback, suggestions and wide consultations and the last date to receive feedback from stakeholders has been extended to 28.02.2025.
“Various suggestions, comments and feedback have been received from different stakeholders. The feedback so received will be analysed by an expert committee for incorporating suitable suggestions in the regulations.”
A parliamentary standing committee in its report tabled in the Rajya Sabha on February 4 flagged the “government’s retreat from public education and the increasing influence of neoliberal policies”.
It also expressed concern that the draft Higher Education Commission of India Bill – that seeks to replace the UGC as a single regulator – will remove state control and will “indirectly fuel privatisation especially in rural areas”.
