Stalin writes to Union Education Minister, CMs of non-BJP-ruled States against draft UGC regulations

Strongly reiterating the Tamil Nadu government’s stance against the Centre’s draft UGC regulations, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday (January 20, 2025) wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging him to withdraw the rules (2024 and 2025).

Mr. Stalin also wrote to his counterparts in non-BJP-ruled States, such as Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, and West Bengal, calling upon them to adopt a resolution in their respective legislatures — as Tamil Nadu had done — against the draft UGC regulations.

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In his letter to Mr. Pradhan, Mr. Stalin listed out certain provisions in the 2024 regulations — the “Conduct of Entrance Examinations for UG & PG Admissions, Eligibility for M.Tech./M.E. Programs with a 4-Year (Arts/Science) Degree, Multiple Entry and Multiple Exit (MEME) System” — and expressed his reservations.

In the draft UGC regulations, 2025, Mr. Stalin objected to provisions, including those over the appointment of “Non-Academicians as Vice-Chancellors, Exclusion of State Government from the Vice-Chancellor Search Committee, and Cross-Disciplinary Teachers.”

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“We believe that many such provisions in the draft regulations may pose serious challenges to the academic integrity, autonomy, and inclusive development of State universities. We, therefore, request that the Ministry of Education may withdraw the draft Bills under discussion and review these concerns to better align with the needs of the diverse higher education landscape in India,” Mr. Stalin contended.

In his letter to Chief Ministers of non-BJP-ruled States, Mr. Stalin referred to the resolution adopted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly against the draft UGC regulations and said: “I strongly believe that it is essential for all States to take a similar stand. I request you to consider passing a resolution in your august Assembly on the same lines as ours.”

Mr. Stalin charged that these guidelines were a clear infringement of the rights of State governments and would have far-reaching consequences for the autonomy of our universities. “It is crucial that we stand united against these attempts to centralise power and undermine the federal structure of our country.”