Kasaragod: Five university and college teaching and non-teaching associations affiliated to the Congress party in Kerala have called for the withdrawal of the University Grants Commission's draft regulations, saying the policy document is designed to usurp and vest the control of higher education institutions in states with the Union government.

The Nair Service Society (NSS), which runs 19 arts, science, and commerce colleges in Kerala, has also called for the withdrawal of the regulations, particularly over the clauses related to the appointment of principals in government-funded private colleges.

"From faculty promotions to the appointment of vice-chancellors, efforts are being made to bring everything under their control," the online meeting held on Monday concluded.

Members of the Government College Teachers Organization (GCTO), Kerala Private College Teachers Association (KPCTA), Kerala University Teachers Organisation (KUTO), Federation of All Kerala Universities Employees Organization (FUEO), and Kerala Private College Ministerial Staff Association (KPCMSA) attended the meeting.

The BJP government is pursuing devious strategies that are dismantling India’s higher education system, painstakingly built by visionary leaders after Independence, and bringing disrepute to the country on the global stage, said Kovalam MLA and Congress leader M Vincent, inaugurating the meeting.

In his presidential address, KPCTA president R Arun Kumar said UGC's 2025 draft regulations were dangerous proposals.
NSS opposition is regarding the norms for appointing principals.

Earlier, principals could be appointed directly or by promoting an existing faculty member. The 2025 draft regulations are "totally silent on appointing principals by promotion", NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said in a statement.

In a representation to the UGC Secretary, he sought permission to appoint principals through promotion by considering the seniority and fitness of faculty members. "It is important to note that the practice of filling the posts of principals through promotion has been in place for more than half a century. This long-standing right allows qualified professors in these colleges to aspire to the posts of principals," it said.

The NSS also opposed the five-year tenure of principal, which was in place in the 2018 regulations, too. Instead, it said principals should be allowed to continue in the post till they retire.

'Nine-point conditions'
Teaching and non-teaching staff affiliated with the Congress were miffed with the nine-point "contributions to be considered" for recruitment and promotions by the selection committees.

They include teaching, learning and researching in the Indian knowledge system and setting up startups and raising funds through government, angel or venture funds. "This is going to be a problem. If we wanted to do all this, why would we choose this profession? We would rather become entrepreneurs or yogis," said a science faculty member at a university.

Another criterion listed was "teaching contributions in Indian languages". "There is no clarity in it, particularly when colleges and universities function with a pre-defined medium of instruction," said a private college teacher.

Teachers are also expected to engage in community service, which is good, but the same teacher said that pegging it to promotion is stretching it a bit far.
In the 2018 UGC regulation, this section was headlined 'Recruitment and Qualifications'. It is now renamed as 'General Conditions: Recruitment and Promotion'.

These conditions would come into play not just for promotion from assistant professor to associate professor or associate to professor, but also for advancing levels within a particular post. "So, these 'contributions' will limit promotions to a select few, leaving many otherwise eligible teachers without opportunities for career advancement," said a government college teacher.
The draft regulations were already criticised for opening up the post of vice-chancellors to industry players and bureaucrats.