Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday criticised the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations of 2025, claiming they diminish the role of state governments in higher education and effectively sideline them.

Speaking at a National Convention on the draft regulations, attended by ministers from Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, Vijayan described the proposed changes as “undemocratic and excessive.” He pointed out that the draft regulations strip state governments of any role in appointing vice-chancellors (VCs) and assistant professors in universities established by the states.

“The power to appoint VCs has been handed over to Chancellors, who are Governors appointed by the Centre. This creates room for politically motivated selections, which could be detrimental to the higher education sector,” Vijayan said.

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The CM alleged that opposition-ruled states, including Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Kerala, have already witnessed “gubernatorial excesses,” with Governors interfering in state university affairs. Citing Kerala’s experience with former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Vijayan noted how Khan had withheld assent to various university-related bills, compelling the state government to approach the Supreme Court.

He also criticised the draft regulations for introducing “new and arbitrary criteria” for the promotion of academic staff, calling it another instance of the Union government encroaching on states’ rights. “This is not an isolated incident. The Centre is increasingly infringing upon states’ autonomy, even financially. Union allocations for state schemes are declining, forcing state governments to contribute more,” he added.

Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu, who presided over the event, echoed Vijayan’s concerns. She argued that the draft regulations not only violate constitutional provisions but also threaten to “dilute” academic quality in state universities.

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“These regulations pose a serious risk to the freedom and autonomy of states in higher education. It is an attempt to undermine democratic values and hand over control to those pushing regressive ideas,” Bindu said, urging the Centre and UGC to withdraw the proposals.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also voiced strong opposition, stating that the regulations leave states as “mere spectators in their own universities.”

“It is akin to saying, ‘You pay the bill, but you cannot order the food,’” he remarked. Vikramarka further emphasised the need for states to “assert their demands” rather than merely engage in discussions.

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The Kerala government has been vocal against the draft regulations from the outset. Vijayan previously criticised them as part of the “Sangh Parivar agenda to consolidate power and erode state autonomy.”

The Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment & Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025, were released in early January. According to the Union Education Ministry, the guidelines aim to provide universities with greater flexibility in appointing and promoting academic staff. However, opposition leaders argue that they curtail state authority over their own educational institutions.

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