BRS Opposes Draft UGC Guidelines, KTR Calls It 'Threat To Federalism, State Autonomy'

KTR along with a delegation of BRS leaders submitted a comprehensive appeal to the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan outlining its stance on the proposed UGC amendments.

The BRS also raised serious objections to the introduction of a "no suitable candidate" clause in the recruitment process for teaching and non-teaching positions.

Source : X

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR), along with senior party leaders and public representatives, met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi on Tuesday to voice strong opposition to the proposed amendments to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. The BRS delegation submitted a detailed memorandum to the central government, highlighting concerns that the proposed guidelines undermine state authority over universities and violate the federal spirit of the Constitution.

KTR emphasised that the proposed changes, particularly the provision granting state governors unilateral authority to appoint vice-chancellors through selection committees, infringe on the autonomy of state-run universities. He argued that this move centralizes power and disregards the role of state governments in higher education, which is a key aspect of India's federal structure.

The BRS leader also pointed out that India's global success in innovation and research is largely due to the strong foundation provided by its universities. He warned that centralizing control over these institutions could stifle creativity and hinder the growth of higher education.

In addition to the issue of vice-chancellor appointments, the BRS raised serious objections to the introduction of a "no suitable candidate" clause in the recruitment process for teaching and non-teaching positions. KTR expressed fears that this clause could be misused to bypass reservation policies for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Backward Classes (BCs).

"This clause is a backdoor entry to undermine social justice. It could be used to deny opportunities to deserving candidates from marginalized communities under the pretext of unavailability, thereby violating their constitutional rights," KTR said, as per ANI.

The BRS memorandum urged the central government to reconsider the proposed guidelines and ensure that any new regulations respect the autonomy of state universities and uphold the principles of federalism.

The BRS submitted a comprehensive six-page appeal to the Union Education Ministry, outlining its stance on the proposed UGC amendments. The party demanded that the central government engage in wider consultations with state governments and education experts before finalizing the guidelines.