Gujarat Assembly passes Bill to curb powers of V-Cs
Under the provisions of the Bill, the composition of the Council includes CM as president, education minister as vice-president and minister of state for education as co-vice-president.
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Chief Minister Anandiben Patel announces education pacakage for economically weaker section at secretariat in Gandhinagar on Thursday. 
Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel
In a bid to take control of universities in the state, the BJP government in Gujarat Thursday got a crucial Bill passed in the Assembly, which, if it’s cleared by the Governor, will give sweeping powers to the state government and curtail the authority of vice-chancellors. The Bill — Gujarat State Higher Education Council Bill, 2016 — is set to bring all the universities of the state under the ambit of a Higher Education Council, to be chaired by the chief minister.
The Bill, introduced by the Minister for Higher and Technical Education Vasuben Trivedi, was passed in the House unanimously in the absence of opposition Congress members who were suspended by the Speaker after they raised slogans in favour of quota for Patidars.
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Under the provisions of the Bill, the composition of the Council includes CM as president, education minister as vice-president and minister of state for education as co-vice-president. Other members will include five vice-chancellors of state universities.
One of the objectives of the Bill is “to carry out effective monitoring of the academic/administrative/financial performance of the universities and affiliated colleges and to recommend remedial measures for better performance.” The directives of the state government will also override any existing laws governing universities.
Section 15 of the Bill reads, “On the recommendation of the Council, or suo-motu, the state government may direct any university with such modification as may be necessary, to implement the reforms in such manner as may be specified therein.”
“Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, it shall be obligatory on the part of the university to implement the directions given by the state government and to report the action taken to the state government and the Council accordingly. The Council shall review from time to time the compliance by the universities, of the direction given by the state government,” it adds.
The Bill also empowers the Council “to suggest criteria, rules regarding various promotions, for college teachers, principals, university teachers in accordance with the regulations and guidelines of the UGC, or the state government policy.”
The Bill has not gone down well with educationists. Former Executive Council Member of Gujarat University and Congress leader Manish Doshi said, “This Bill is nothing but a pre-planned strategy of Gujarat BJP to curtail autonomy of universities and control and monitor the higher education system of the state.”
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