Anti-UGC draft resolution passed in Kerala assembly

4 PEOPLE WERE HELD AND A CASE WAS FILED OVER ASSAULT OF CERTAIN UDF COUNCILLORS FOLLOWING A SCUFFLE AT THE MUNICIPALITY

- HT Correspondent

KOCHI: The Kerala assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday urging the Centre to withdraw the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations of 2025 and introduce a fresh set of guidelines only after detailed consultations with state governments and academic experts.

The resolution was presented by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly during the ongoing budget session and was backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) legislators. The BJP currently has no MLAs in the Assembly.

The resolution stated, "It is the unanimous opinion of the Assembly that the draft UGC guidelines, 2025, which do not conform to Constitutional principles and completely overrule the suggestions of the state governments in the appointment of the vice-chancellor of universities, are against the federal system in the country."

"The Assembly strongly believes that the stand of the Union government and the UGC to keep the state government away from the appointment of vice chancellors, deciding eligibility of teachers and their service rules without any kind of discussions is anti-constitutional and must be rectified. The provisions in the draft UGC guidelines to appoint vice-chancellors from those in the private sector will lead to commercialisation of the higher education sector and erode the integrity of the sector," the resolution said.