The members of Students' Federation of India (SFI) and students of Rajah Serfoji Government Arts College (RSGAC) on Thursday, January 9, staged a protest demonstration in front of the college and burnt copies of the University Grants Commission's (UGC) draft guidelines alleging it undermines the rights of the state government and will lead to nomination Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members as Vice-Chancellors across the country, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The students raised slogans against Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025.
The students raised slogans against the regulations, alleging it takes away the powers of the state governments in the appointment of the vice-chancellors, though the education is in the concurrent list of the constitution. They also alleged the new guideline will pave the way for people from industries and not only from academia to be appointed as VCs.
The State President of SFI G Aravindsamy who led the protest said the draft regulations are part of National Educational Policy (NEP) 2020 and pointed out that as the NEP was pushed through without wider discussions among stakeholders, the union government is also trying to push through these guidelines without wider discussions. He demanded the draft regulations need to be withdrawn forthwith., according to a report by The New Indian Express
Later, the protesting students also burnt copies of the draft regulations.
