New Delhi: Demanding immediate withdrawal of the draft UGC regulations 2024 and 2025, the All India Students' Federation (AISF) on Monday staged a protest march to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Bhawan in New Delhi.
The student body, led by AISF national president Viraaj Devang and general secretary Dinesh Seerangaraj, opposed the proposed regulations, calling them a violation of principles enshrined in the constitution and an attack on the autonomy of universities, an official statement released by the outfit read.
Released in January, the draft regulations seek to replace the 2018 UGC guidelines on minimum qualifications to appoint faculties and academic standards. According to the Union Ministry of Education, the new guidelines aim to provide universities with greater flexibility in hiring and promotions.
However, the move has drawn flak from the non-BJP-ruled states, which argued that the proposals infringe upon state government rights and centralise control over higher education institutions. A major bone of contention is the enhanced role of governors, a central appointee, in the selection and appointment of vice-chancellors.
Those opposed to the move argue that it undermines the autonomy of state-run institutions and curtails democratic decision-making in higher education governance. AISF leaders claimed that these changes will diminish the role of academic bodies, faculty and students in formulating university policies.
During the protest, a delegation of AISF leaders, accompanied by representatives from the All India Youth Federation (AIYF), submitted a memorandum to N Gopukumar, UGC joint secretary, urging the commission to withdraw the proposed regulations, the AISF statement said.
Raising serious concerns over the draft regulations, the AISF said the UGC's role as an advisory body is being expanded beyond its mandate, allowing it to withhold grants and impose penalties on universities.
According to the statement, the student body also pointed out that education is a concurrent subject and any unilateral decision-making by the UGC will enfeeble the authority of the state governments in regulating their institutions. They argued further that the draft regulations violate democratic norms by sidelining faculty, student bodies and academic councils, replacing participatory governance with bureaucratic control.
The AISF has categorically rejected the draft regulations and called for nationwide resistance against the proposed guidelines. Warning that the protests would intensify if the regulations were not withdrawn, the AISF urged students, faculty members and academic institutions to unite in opposition to what it described as "anti-democratic measures" that infringe the autonomy of higher education.
"The fight is not just about policy. It's about preserving the fundamental values of higher education in India. We urge all students, faculty members and institutions to stand against these undemocratic measures," the release said.
With growing opposition from student bodies and state governments alike, the debate over the draft regulations is expected to escalate in the coming weeks.
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