Kerala CM Urges Union Education Minister to Review Draft UGC Regulations 2025
This letter follows ongoing debates over the balance of power between the Centre and states in higher education governance. Kerala Chief Minister’s intervention reflects growing resistance from state governments to what they perceive as over-centralization in education policy.
In a strongly worded letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has raised concerns over the draft UGC Regulations 2025, claiming they infringe on states' constitutional rights in the domain of higher education. Vijayan has called for an immediate review of the draft regulations and urged the Union Government to initiate discussions with states, academicians, and stakeholders to ensure a balanced approach to policymaking in the education sector.
The letter underscores several issues:
Erosion of State Rights: Vijayan argued that the regulations exclude state governments from crucial decisions, including the selection of university Vice-Chancellors, which he deemed a violation of cooperative federalism principles.
Financial Contributions by States: He highlighted that states bear a significant financial burden in higher education, with Kerala alone contributing to a substantial share of educational expenditure.
Potential Decline in Autonomy: The Chief Minister expressed concerns about proposals allowing individuals without teaching or research experience to serve as Vice-Chancellors, warning this could undermine academic excellence and institutional autonomy.
Drawing on constitutional provisions and historical context, Vijayan emphasized that while Entry 66 of the Union List empowers the Centre to maintain standards in higher education, it does not justify excluding states from governance roles. He cited Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's remarks in the Constituent Assembly to highlight the limited scope of this provision.
Vijayan has urged the Union Government to:
Hold the implementation of the draft UGC Regulations 2025.
Convene discussions with all stakeholders, including state governments and academicians.
Reaffirm the role of states in shaping higher education policies in line with the principles of cooperative federalism.
This letter follows ongoing debates over the balance of power between the Centre and states in higher education governance. The Chief Minister’s intervention reflects growing resistance from state governments to what they perceive as over-centralization in education policy. As the draft UGC Regulations 2025 continue to draw criticism, all eyes will be on the Union Government’s response to this call for dialogue and consensus-building.
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Abhay an alumnus of IIMC and Delhi University, has over a decade long experience of reporting on various beats of journalism. During his free time he prefers listening to music or play indoor and outdoor games.