Assam: MP Pradyut Bordoloi urges Education Minister to withdraw new UGC draft regulations

New Delhi: Lok Sabha MP from Assam, Pradyut Bordoloi has written a strongly-worded letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, expressing grave concerns over the recently released Draft UGC Regulations, 2025.

The regulations, titled Minimum Qualifications for Appointment & Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, were released on January 6, 2025.

According to Bordoloi, these proposed changes undermine the federal structure of India and encroach upon the autonomy of state governments.

The MP's principal objection pertains to Rule 10, which centralizes the selection process for vice-chancellors (VCs) by granting sole authority to the Chancellor of the university—often the state governor—while sidelining state governments.

Bordoloi criticized this move, stating that state governments, as the primary funders of state universities, deserve a significant role in such decisions.

"The exclusion of state governments in the selection of vice-chancellors is antithetical to federalism. It disregards the crucial role of states in higher education administration and funding," Bordoloi wrote in his letter.

Bordoloi also raised concerns about the expanded eligibility criteria for vice-chancellors, which now include individuals with experience in public policy, industry, and the private sector.

He argued that these criteria are vague, lack justification, and could lead to political and ideological appointments, ultimately diluting the quality of leadership in India's universities.

Another contentious provision in the draft is Rule 11, which mandates that universities failing to comply with the regulations would be denied UGC grants and prevented from offering degree programs.

Bordoloi described this as coercive and beyond the mandate of the UGC under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

"The drafting of such rules and imposing them on all universities oversteps the UGC's authority. Matters concerning the qualifications and selection of vice-chancellors should be determined by the legislatures through which universities are established," Bordoloi argued, referencing a 2011 Bombay High Court judgment that limits the binding nature of such regulations on state universities.

The MP urged the Education Minister to withdraw the existing draft regulations and consult with state governments to issue a revised framework that respects their autonomy and aligns with the principles of federalism.

"I hope to receive a positive response and see a more collaborative approach toward framing these regulations," Bordoloi concluded.

The draft regulations have sparked widespread debate across the academic and political spectrum, with many stakeholders questioning the UGC's push for centralization.