Move to centralise, commercialise, privatise and communalise higher education

By Prakash N. Shah, Hemantkumar Shah,  Dr. Kanu Khadadiya* 

The Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025 was circulated by the UGC on 6 January 2025. After detailed study of the ‘Draft UGC Regulations, 2025’, with deep concern and pain, AISEC would like to make statements which include the following:

Whole Draft UGC Regulations 2025 is completely based on ‘National Credit Framework (NCrF)’. This NCrF is not yet debated and validated either in both the houses of Parliament or in various legislative assemblies of states across country.  It is just a draft prepared by an ‘appointed high level committee’.  As enunciated by constitution, our country is a union of states and education is essentially subject matter of both centre and states.

Clause 1.6 states as follows,

"All HEIs shall, as soon as possible, but not later than six months of the coming into force of these regulations, take effective steps to amend their statutes, ordinances, or other statutory provisions governing it to bring the same in accordance with these regulations."

Is it not an open intervention and infringement on the autonomy of states and HEI? This clause shall be removed.

Clause 10.0: There are two critical aspects in it, one is about the criteria of eligibility of Vice- Chancellor post and the second is about the procedure for formation of search cum selection committee for appointing Vice- Chancellors.

Hitherto, professors having long experience of above 10 years is the basic criteria of eligibility of Vice-Chancellor post. Draft Regulations 2025 of UGC says as follows,

"… (i) a Professor in an HEI or (ii) at a senior level in reputed research or academic administrative organizations or (iii)at a senior level in industry, public administration, public policy and/or public sector undertakings, with a proven track record of significant academic or scholarly contributions, shall be eligible to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor."

This is a very dangerous move as bureaucratic approach will kill the spirit of academics. Therefore, eminent academicians only should be considered for the post of Vice-Chancellor.

The second is about the Search cum Selection Committee. Draft Regulations 2025 of UGC says as follows,

"… The following shall be the constitution of the Search cum Selection Committee. 

a) a nominee of the Visitor/Chancellor, who shall be the Chairperson of the Search cum Selection Committee. 

b) a nominee of the Chairman, University Grants Commission. 

c) a nominee of the apex body of the university such as Syndicate/Senate/Executive Council / Board of Management/ Equivalent Body of the University."

This means that Clause 10.0 gives the supreme power at the hands of the central government while selecting Vice-Chancellors. If these UGC regulations come into practise, then this will pave the way for all out Centralisation, Commercialisation, Privatisation and Communalisation of Higher Education. Therefore, Clause 10 has to be completely dropped.

Clause 11.0: Clause 11.0 of Draft Regulations 2025 goes as follows,

"…If any HEI violates the provisions of these regulations, the Commission shall constitute an enquiry committee to look into the violations.  If the violations are established by the enquiry committee set up by the Commission, the HEI shall be:

(a) Debarred from participating in UGC schemes.

(b) Debarred from offering degree programmes.

(c) Debarred from offering ODL and online mode programmes.

(d) Removed from the list of HEIs maintained under Sections 2(f) and 12B of UGC Act 1956. 

The HEI shall be subjected to one or more of the above actions. Further, UGC may take additional punitive actions as per the decision of the Commission on a case-to-case basis."

This is rather a very autocratic provision and also derogatory for an HEI’s/universities. It is tantamount to real violation and infringement on freedom and democracy of HEI/universities. Therefore, this clause is to be dropped.

Clause 8.0: Clause 8.0 deals about contractual appointment of teachers. Clause 8.0 of Draft Regulations 2025 goes as follows,

Draft Regulations 2025 doesn’t utter a single word about long services rendered by Guest Lecturers and doesn’t show any concern on them. It just legalizes it. Contractual appointees would be subjected to the pressure of the authority of the HEIs and so to say the party in power.  They would be converted into pawns at the hands of the power that be for their renewal. This would vitiate the democratic atmosphere of the campus. Therefore, this clause is to be dropped and instead UGC should insist the regularisation of teachers with immediate effect and also should arrange and provide sufficient financial grant with immediate effect.

Clauses 3.2 & 3.3: Clauses 3.2 & 3.3 would allow recruitment of teachers in disciplines/subjects of their PhD or NET/SET irrespective of their disciplines/subjects in UG & PG. Rather this will help further commercialisation of higher education and bring down whatever standard is still prevailing in higher education. This clause shall be dropped.

Clause 4.1: Clause 4.1 undermines a PG degree and makes it virtually redundant. This would also seriously hamper teaching and research. Therefore, this clause is to be dropped.

 Clause 9.0: Clause 9.0 recommends creation of “Professor of Practice,” a position designed more to serve corporate interests than academy. This would ultimately lower the standard of teaching and marginalize pedagogical excellence. Therefore, to maintain standard academicians only shall be recruited as Professors. Therefore, this clause is to be dropped.

Clauses 3.8 gives emphasis on the parameters like industry-oriented or sponsored research, high-impact publications, consultancy, student internships or project supervision, Indian Knowledge system (IKS), digital content creation for MOOCs, startups etc. for recruitment of teachers. These would largely promote saffronization, privatization and commercialization of education. Therefore, this clause is to be dropped.

The fact is above all should be left to the wisdom of the respective state and Universities/HEI’s and there is no need of UGC to laydown regulations in these domains.

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*With All-India Save Education Committee (AISEC)