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Joining the chorus of non-BJP-ruled states, the Karnataka government on Monday wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, raising strong objections to the draft University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2025, particularly the provisions regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors. State Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar termed the provisions a direct assault on the federal structure and said they undermined the state’s role in higher education governance.
The draft UGC guidelines, which are currently open for public consultation, propose sweeping changes to the process of appointing vice-chancellors. They recommend the formation of a search-cum-selection committee appointed solely by the Chancellor or Visitor, with no representation from the state government. The guidelines also vest the Chancellor/Visitor with exclusive powers to appoint vice-chancellors from the panel recommended by the committee. Further, they include provisions for nullifying Vice-Chancellor appointments made outside these prescribed rules.
In the letter, the minister emphasised that such provisions contradict state laws governing universities, particularly concerning the tenure and reappointment of vice-chancellors. It also highlighted concerns over the inclusion of non-academicians as eligible candidates for the role of vice-chancellor, calling for more deliberation on the matter.
The minister argued that excluding the state government’s role in the appointment process undermines its authority and responsibilities in advancing higher education.
“The state government is accountable to its people and the legislature for the administration of public universities. Excluding the state from the process not only disregards the financial and administrative contributions of the government but also strikes at the core of the federal structure,” he said.
The minister also noted that radical changes, such as those proposed in the draft guidelines, could disrupt the existing system and hinder its ability to provide quality and accessible higher education.
Urging the UGC to reconsider its approach, the Karnataka government called for a broader dialogue with state governments to address issues faced by universities and students under the current system. It stressed the importance of collaborative efforts to strengthen higher education across the country rather than imposing centralised reforms.
In December 2024, the state Assembly passed a Bill to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as Chancellor of Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj University. The Bill is yet to receive the Governor’s assent. In November, the Cabinet decided to do the same for other state universities. The higher education minister had also said that a draft Bill was in the works to amend the Karnataka State Universities Act to bring in critical administrative reforms in the 42 universities under the state government.
The tussle between the ruling Congress Government in Karnataka and Governor Thawarchand Gehlot started with the latter sanctioning the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam in August 2024. The alleged scam involves irregularities in land transactions and allotments by MUDA, implicating Siddaramaiah and his wife B M Parvathi.
Following a political slugfest between the governor and the chief minister, the Karnataka Cabinet in September that year approved a draft Amendment Bill seeking to remove the governor and appoint the chief minister as the chancellor of the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, further escalating tensions between the government and the governor.
