UGC proposed guidelines will undermine autonomy of universities: TGCHE Chairman

Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) Chairman Prof V Balakista Reddy strongly objects UGC 2025 draft regulations on appointment of faculty and vice chancellors

Hyderabad: Strongly objecting to the UGC 2025 draft regulations on appointment of vice chancellors and faculty, Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) Chairman Prof V Balakista Reddy said new norms were contrary to the spirit of federalism and would undermine the autonomy of universities.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Prof Reddy questioned the University Grants Commission (UGC) for not providing funds to the universities instead exerting control over the varsities under the guise of regulations.

---

The UGC norms, he said, would promote privatisation and appointment of vice chancellors would go into control of the Central government. He criticised the new provision of appointing bureaucrats as vice chancellors.

According to Prof Reddy, the UGC actions were contrary to the spirit of federalism and that the Central government’s decisions were harming the State universities.

Stating that several States, including Kerala, had opposed the draft regulations, the TGCHE Chairman said Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would soon write a letter to the Central government over the issue.

An expert committee has already been constituted to prepare a report on the harm these new draft regulations could cause the State universities, he said, adding that once ready the report would be submitted to the State government.

Prof Reddy urged all the State universities to write to the UGC objecting to the new draft regulations.

TGCHE Vice Chairman Prof SK Mahmood and Prof E Purushottam, along with Secretary Prof Sriram Venkatesh participated in the conference.