
CHENNAI: In a bid to unite the voices against two controversial draft regulations released recently by the University Grants Commission, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday wrote a letter to the CMs of all opposition-ruled states, urging them to pass a resolution in their respective Assemblies against the regulations.
The letter was addressed to the chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, and New Delhi.
Citing the resolution recently passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly urging the centre to immediately repeal the guidelines, Stalin said he “strongly believed that it is essential for all states to take a similar stance”.
Pointing out there were several issues in the draft regulations, including the restriction of state’s role in selecting vice-chancellors and introducing entrance examinations for UG and PG courses, he said,
“These guidelines are a clear infringement on the rights of states and will have far-reaching consequences on the autonomy of our universities. We must stand united against attempts to centralise power and undermine the country’s federal structure.”
CM: GER of 47% testament to TN’s robust education system
Meanwhile, Stalin also wrote a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday, urging him to withdraw the two draft UGC regulations -- UGC (Minimum Standards of Instruction for the Grant of Undergraduate Degree and Postgraduate Degree) - Regulations 2024; UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025.
Highlighting that several provisions of these drafts conflicted with the state’s educational system and policies, Stalin mentioned in detail some of the key provisions that the state found to be problematic. In the regulations regarding UG and PG degrees, he said the proposal for common entrance examinations for admission across the country is impractical, given the varying educational levels and systems across the country and also undermined the state’s autonomy.
Moreover, he said entrance examinations exacerbate academic anxiety and financial stress, thereby disproportionately harming socio-economically disadvantaged groups. He said the state already had robust systems in place to assess the competence of students and the higher Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 47 % is a testament to the strength of its educational system. Referring to the proposal to allow students to pursue any degree irrespective of the stream chosen in higher secondary, Stalin said it can create unnecessary academic stress without sufficient foundational knowledge.
Similarly, the proposal to allow students with a four-year undergraduate degree in arts or science stream to pursue a postgraduate degree in engineering without a “solid foundation in basic engineering principles” is “disquieting” and needs careful re-examination.
The chief minister expressed concerns against the proposed Multiple Entry and Multiple Exit (MEME) system, arguing that it could legitimise dropouts, disrupt learning continuity, destabilise education systems, besides posing significant challenges in implementation.
On the draft regulations regarding appointments, Stalin reiterated the state’s objections regarding the proposed changes that deny any say to state governments in selecting vice-chancellors for state-run universities, which the CM said are “fully funded and managed by the state governments”.
Allowing non-academicians to become V-Cs may lead to the appointment of individuals without necessary academic and administrative experience, he said, adding that the proposal should be reconsidered. The CM also enclosed the copy of the resolution passed by the TN Assembly earlier this month in this regard.