Withdraw new rules for appointment of VCs in universities, demand Tamil Nadu, Kerala

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday introduced a resolution in the Assembly calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Draft University Grants Commission Regulations, 2025, reported The Hindu.

The regulations propose granting governors the authority to form a three-member committee to appoint vice chancellors of universities.

The new rules also propose to allow industry experts and public sector veterans to be appointed as vice chancellors, moving away from the convention of selecting only academics.

Stalin’s resolution described the Draft University Grants Commission (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, as detrimental to federalism and Tamil Nadu’s higher education system.

“It will severely impact the future of the youth of Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said, urging the Centre to revoke the proposed rules.

On Wednesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the new draft regulations, describing them as part of an effort to abolish the rights of states in the field of higher education, reported The Indian Express.

The new regulations could have major implications for Opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala, according to the newspaper. These states have recently witnessed tussles between the state governments and governors – who serve as the chancellors of state…

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