6 Non-BJP States Oppose Draft UGC Rules on VCs

Ministers from six opposition-ruled states on Wednesday passed a resolution rejecting the draft UGC regulations introduced by Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan in January, and arguing that the proposed rules undermine the autonomy of state governments.

- HT Correspondent

BENGALURU:

The resolution came at the end of a conclave organised by the Karnataka government saw participation of Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Speaking at the conclave, Shivakumar called on states to also build pressure on the Centre and the UGC to withdraw "flawed" National Education Policy (NEP).

"The NEP rolled out by the Union government has many flaws. The Karnataka government has gone ahead and brought in some amendments. The output from this conclave must reach the Centre," he said.

In the joint resolution, the ministers raised multiple objections to the draft regulations and contended that the proposed rules violate the federal principles of governance.

"The state governments must be given a pivotal role in the appointment of Vice Chancellors to state public universities. The draft UGC regulations do not envisage any role for the state governments in these appointments, which impinges on the legitimate rights of the states in a federal setup," the resolution stated.