SFI urges AP govt. to oppose UGC’s draft regulations on appointments of V-C

Leaders of Student’s Federation of India (SFI) Andhra Pradesh Committee have urged the state government to oppose the draft regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) on appointment of Vice-Chancellors to Universities, “as they are detrimental to the higher education system.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday, the federation’s state president K. Prasanna Kumar and general secretary A. Ashok said currently, the state government had substantial role in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors to the state Universities. But the draft proposals of the UGC give more powers to the Governors. Increased Central involvement would violate the federal structure and greater control by Governors, often seen as Central appointees, could lead to politically influenced appointments, they cautioned.

They also found fault with the proposal to appoint individuals with non-academic background as Vice-Chancellors saying that appointing V-Cs from industry or public administration would create a disconnect between them and the academic community.

Additionally, they said, the draft suggested that individuals with a Master’s degree, even without qualifying the UGC-NET could be directly appointed as Assistant Professors, they said it would raise questions about their subject knowledge. “This will ultimately lower the academic standards of education,” they argued.

Citing cases of states like Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Jharkhand which had expressed opposition to these proposals, the federation leaders insisted that the TDP-led coalition government in the state also oppose the UGC draft proposals and pass a resolution to this effect in the ongoing Assembly sessions, just like Kerala and Tamil Nadu.