TN minister Chezhiaan slams UGC draft at Bangaluru conclave

CHENNAI: Expressing strong concerns about the draft guidelines released by the University Grants Commission (UGC) recently regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors and governance of higher education institutions, state higher education minister Govi Chezhiaan on Wednesday said that the proposed rules can erode the state autonomy in the coming years.

Speaking at a national-level conclave organised in Bengaluru that saw participation of higher education ministers from states that are opposed to the UGC regulations, Chezhiaan said the centralised approach poses a serious threat to the centre-state relations.

“These regulations also underline a critical constitutional issue regarding potential for eroding the separation of powers and federalism — both being the ‘basic features’ of the Constitution,” he added.