Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has asserted that if the Union Government fails to heed the voices of Tamils regarding the new UGC regulations, the state will take the matter to the peopleās forum and courts.The Chief Minister’s statement comes in response to recent amendments introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) that remove state government representatives from the search committee responsible for appointing Vice-Chancellors. This change has sparked opposition in Tamil Nadu, where a resolution was passed in the Legislative Assembly opposing the new rules.
In a strongly worded statement, CM Stalin criticized the UGC’s draft regulations, stating, “Colleges function in the state governmentās jurisdiction; professors are paid by the state; scholarships, incentives, and tuition fee concessions for students are provided by us. Despite this, Governorsāwho are outsidersāact as Chancellors and control the universities. Adding to this injustice, the UGC now proposes that Governors alone can appoint Vice-Chancellors. What will happen to the state of higher education if this becomes the norm?”
He further claimed that the UGC’s draft guidelines are an overt attempt to undermine Tamil Naduās leading position in higher education. “This move is a blatant effort driven by jealousy to pull Tamil Nadu down from its top position in higher education,” he remarked.
The Chief Minister emphasized the stateās unanimous opposition to the UGC’s amendments. “To urge the central government to immediately withdraw these draft regulations, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has passed a unanimous resolution. If the Union Government refuses to listen to the unified voice of Tamils, we will approach both the Parliament and the judiciaryāand we will succeed,” CM Stalin concluded.
This development highlights the escalating friction between the Tamil Nadu government and the Union Government over the autonomy of the state in matters of higher education.