Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday joined a protest led by the DMK students wing at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) draft regulations.
The draft regulations had sparked a row and concerns among the students due to its potential impact on the states-led regional education systems. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and DMK’s parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi also participated in the protest.
Strongly criticising the Union government, Rahul said that the draft regulations were an attempt to impose a singular ideology on the country’s education system. He criticised the RSS and the ruling BJP for their approach towards India’s diverse cultural and linguistic heritage.
“I want to tell the Tamil youngsters that these UGC draft rules are not only an educational move. It is an attempt by the RSS to attack your history, your tradition, your language,” Rahul said.
Joining the protest, Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav said, “They want to take over all the power of the state governments. They want to make politicians servants of industrialists. We can never support the New Education Policy. I am supporting all the students here and the decision that you have taken. I am against NEP. I am against BJP.”
The dissent against the UGC draft rules released on January 6 has been growing strong over the past week with Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka opposing the regulations which introduce significant changes compared to the 2018 regulations, particularly concerning the appointment of Vice Chancellors (VCs). The draft proposes revised selection methods for appointments and promotions to various teaching and administrative posts in universities and colleges. The regulations currently in force were issued in July 2018.
The M.K. Stalin-led DMK government in Tamil Nadu has been a strong critic of the draft regulations. Tamil Nadu was the first state to adopt a resolution against the draft regulations in the Assembly.
“The UGC draft regulations are nothing but an attempt by the Union government to usurp universities that the state governments have built on their own using their resources and economic strength. The rules are against federalism,” Stalin had earlier said in a statement. Stalin also demanded that the authority to govern the universities rest with the states as they have been established by the state governments. However, the union government continues to encroach upon the state’s rights, he alleged.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and other opposition-ruled states have launched protests against the UGC draft regulations, while Tamil Nadu has taken it to Delhi.
Why the UGC draft regulations are opposed by some states
The key differences between the UGC norms 2018 and the proposed draft regulations for 2025 include drastic changes in the eligibility criteria for vice-chancellors; Search-cum-Selection Committee Composition and provision that mandates a fixed composition for the Search-cum-Selection Committee for all universities. Most importantly, the major change the draft proposes is Centralized Control, which means the selection process for Vice Chancellor appointments will be shifted to the central government by mandating uniform guidelines and reducing flexibility for universities created by State legislatures. UGC 2018 allowed more autonomy to universities, particularly State universities, but the new norms have shifted control over VC appointments to the Central governments.
The new selection process for vice-chancellors gives chancellors more powers. And in most states, the chancellors are the state governors, who are directly appointed by the Union government or who act according to the whims and fancies of the Centre. State governments including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal have been having a running battle with the governors, already, over the appointment of vice-chancellors in the state-run universities.
The protest in Delhi witnessed huge support from various student organisations and opposition leaders from different parts of the country.
