metro india news  I hyderabad

Noted social activist Professor Hara Gopal, while noting that the University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory independent body, today he alleged that the Centre was using it like a puppet to implement its own agenda and taking decisions that undermine the standards of the universities and termed the agenda of the Centre a grave threat to democracy. He also demanded that the Centre immediately withdraw the UGC’s new guidelines that undermine the autonomy of the universities.

AISF State president Kasireddy Manikanta Reddy presided over a national conference on 'UGC 2025 Regulations - Attack on autonomy of universities' in the city. Prof. Haragopal and Osmania University Arts College Principal Prof. Kasim, were the chief guests at the conference. AISF national president Viraj Devang, national general secretary Dinesh Sirangaraj, former AISF national president Dinesh Sirangaraj and former AISF national president Ramakrishna Panda were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Hara Gopal alleged that the Modi government, which came to power for the third time in the name of development slogan at the Centre, was operating  in a manner that undermines the democratic system of the country and sidelines its development. He alleged that conspiracies were hatched to weaken the education system and to saffronise education.

Noting that the University Grants Commission (UGC) had released the draft on January 6 in the name of maintaining minimum qualifications for appointment and promotion of professors of various universities and colleges in the country and the protection of standards in higher education, he said the draft proposals were contrary to the spirit of the Indian Constitution, the appointment of VCs in the hands of the Governor is completely unconstitutional.

Prof Kasim said till now, the State government had been setting up a three-member search committee for the appointment of the vice-chancellors (VCs) and added that the committee consists of three members -- a representative of the UGC, a proposed member of the State government and a representative of the University Council.

“The names of the three selected candidates will be sent by the State government to the Governor and one of the three candidates will be selected by the Governor as the VC. But now, the revised rules of the UGC 2025 are giving more power to Governors in the selection of the vice-chancellors, which is highly dangerous,” he warned.