Draft UGC Regulations 2025: Stalin says Tamil Nadu will fight it legally, politically

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday criticised the Centre for releasing the Draft UGC Regulations, 2025, stating that the new regulations granting governors broader control over vice-chancellor appointments and allowing non-academics to hold these posts were a direct assault on federalism and state rights.

“This overreach is unacceptable, and Tamil Nadu will fight it legally and politically,” Stalin said.

The draft regulations state that the chancellor shall constitute a search cum selection committee comprising three experts – a nominee of the chancellor who shall be the chairperson of the committee, a nominee of the chairman of the University Grants Commission and a nominee of the apex body of the university such as syndicate/senate/executive council/board of management/equivalent body of the university.
Currently, the state govt nominates its member to the committee.

Taking to X, the chief minister said, “This authoritarian move by the Union BJP govt seeks to centralise power and undermine democratically elected state governments. Education must remain in the hands of those chosen by the people, not dictated by governors acting at the BJP govt’s behest.”

Noting that education was a subject under the Concurrent List of the Constitution, the chief minister said the state govt considered the move of the UGC to issue this notification unilaterally as unconstitutional.

“Tamil Nadu, which leads the nation with the highest number of top-ranking HEIs, will not stay silent as our institutions are stripped of autonomy,” he added.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the Draft Regulations (minimum qualifications for appointment & promotion of teachers and academic staff in universities and colleges and measures for maintenance of standards in higher education) Regulations 2025 on Monday. The draft regulations have been placed in the public domain for feedback, suggestions and consultations.