UGC draft rules slammed as power grab attempt

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Days after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan unveiled the University Grants Commission (UGC) draft policy for the appointment of teachers and academic staff to universities and colleges, it has been criticised as an alleged attempt to centralise and corporatise higher education.

The draft, titled Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education (Regulations, 2025), was released on January 6. It will remain in the public domain for feedback until February 5.

The Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Progressive Students Forum have publicly opposed it and called on other student bodies to reject it. A statement issued by them reads: "Governments in several Opposition-ruled states, such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, were already in conflict with their Governors - who also serve as Chancellors of several state-run universities - over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors. Now, the revised rules grant state Governors increased authority in the selection of Vice-Chancellors. It is quite evident that the candidate shortlisting and final selection processes remain opaque, lacking clarity on who will be called for interviews."

The statement adds: "Additionally, for the first time, the new draft regulations permit the consideration of industry experts and public sector veterans for Vice-Chancellor roles... This shift introduces corporate culture into the academic realm."

It also flags other concerns regarding promotions as well as reservations. A senior official from the state higher education department said: "This is just a draft policy and has been made open for objections and suggestions from the public. Anyone with doubts or objections can submit them to the UGC. There's no need to jump to negative conclusions or issue protest warnings preemptively."