THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government-sponsored national convention on UGC draft regulations, 2025, attended by ministers of three other non-BJP ruled southern states, has passed a 15-point resolution mainly demanding the withdrawal of the regulations that diminishes the role of the states and goes against the federal spirit of the Constitution.
Inaugurating the convention, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the regulations can only be viewed as part of an effort to “undermine democratic values in higher education and to place the sector under the control of those promoting religious and communal ideologies.”
Pinarayi said the regulations infringe upon the powers of the states in legislating higher education and thus undermine the federal foundations of the country.
The Chief Minister said the Union Government and UGC were trying to exclude state governments from their administration of universities. “It cannot be the case that states will not have any real control over the universities established by laws enacted by State assemblies and run using the states’ financial and administerial resources,” he added.
Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan who appreciated the government’s efforts in organising the convention, reminded that the UGC should function within its Constitutional mandate.
Higher Education Minister R Bindu who presided over the event said the draft regulations not only violate constitutional provisions but also threaten to dilute academic quality in state universities.
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the draft regulations have left states as mere onlookers in their own universities.
Similar views against the transgressions of the Union government and the UGC were echoed by MC Sudhakar and Govi Chezhiaan the higher education ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu respectively.