Chandigarh: Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal criticized the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) draft regulations on appointments of vice-chancellors on the grounds that these were against the spirit of federalism.
The move is aimed at usurping the rights of the states and handing them over to the central government. “This seeks to usurp the powers of the states that founded these universities out of their funds and are running them with their own resources,” he asserted in a statement issued Sunday, January 12, 2024.
Demanding their immediate withdrawal, Sukhbir Badal said “it seems the states – who are the main stakeholders, have not been consulted while framing the draft regulations. Instead of giving increased autonomy to the states, the Centre has chosen to take away control of the universities and vest it with the UGC whose members are appointed by it”.
These regulations have come amidst much opposition already by the states to the insistence of several state Governors to allegedly influence the appointment of vice-chancellors by refusing to go with the constitutional norm of acting on the “aid and advice” of the state governments while making top appointments.
Now the entire process of appointment of vice chancellors had been handed over to the Governors who would select any name from a list submitted to them by a three member committee of the Chancellor, UGC and the apex management body of the varsity. “The state government has been left out of any say in the selection process”, he added.
Besides usurping the rights of the states, the central government is also overlooking the heritage and culture of the state institutions which was addressed by elected state governments while making appointments to their top posts, he added.
