Rahul Gandhi to take part in DMK student wing protest against UGC in Delhi today
In a significant political pushback against the University Grants Commission (UGC) draft rules, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and various MPs from the DMK, will take part in a protest on Thursday in Delhi.
The DMK’s student wing will protest against the UGC draft rules at 10 a.m. at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. They will be joined by several leaders from the INDIA bloc, as the rules effectively grant Governors (Chancellors) broader powers in appointing vice-chancellors to state-funded universities.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly also passed a resolution against the draft rules on January 9, urging their withdrawal.
Speaking in the Assembly, Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin said, “This Assembly considers that the recent UGC draft rules should be taken back. They are an assault on the idea of federalism and they affect Tamil Nadu’s higher education system.”
Stalin also wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, seeking the withdrawal of the notification, and urged Chief Ministers of Opposition-led states to pass resolutions against the UGC draft rules in their respective Assemblies.
The rules propose allowing people with non-academic backgrounds, including from the private sector, to be appointed as vice-chancellors, which states fear could empower the BJP-led Centre to appoint vocal supporters of its ideology, even if they lack the necessary academic and administrative experience.
Earlier, on January 10, DMK’s student wing held a protest at Valluvar Kottam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, against the UGC draft rules, claiming they contradict the spirit of federalism.
According to the new UGC draft guidelines, candidates can qualify for faculty positions at higher institutions by clearing the UGC-NET in a subject of their choice, even if their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are in different disciplines.
The guidelines also propose changes to the selection process for vice-chancellors, including expanding eligibility criteria to include professionals from academia, research institutions, public policy, public administration, and industry.
On January 10, UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar defended the revised rules, emphasizing that the changes “eliminate ambiguity and ensure transparency.”
He added that the selection committee will have three members: one nominated by the Chancellor, one by the UGC Chairman, and one by the university’s executive council or senate.
“This structure eliminates ambiguity and ensures a more transparent process,” Kumar reiterated, addressing criticisms from sections of teachers and state governments.
