The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has strongly opposed the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) draft proposals, criticizing the state government for its inaction and failure to address critical changes proposed by the central body. The opposition came during a press meet held at Telangana Bhavan on Thursday, where former Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and former MP B. Vinod Kumar voiced their concerns.
The BRS leaders expressed their dismay over the UGC’s proposals, which they claim undermine the federal spirit by infringing upon the autonomy of states. Sabitha Indra Reddy pointed out that the UGC has sought feedback on the draft proposals by January 30, but the state government has remained silent on the issue.
“Despite having a week to respond, the state government has neither acted nor expressed its opinion. As the education minister, doesn’t Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao have time to review such an important matter?” she questioned. Sabitha accused the state government of neglecting higher education and failing to stand up against the UGC’s draft recommendations.
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The proposals, which would centralize power over key decisions, have particularly raised concerns within the BRS. One of the most contentious issues is the proposed shift of the power to appoint university Vice-Chancellors (VCs) entirely to the central government. Sabitha highlighted that until now, university VCs have been appointed through a search committee based on state government recommendations. If implemented, the new rules would transfer this power to the Governor, sidelining state authorities.
“The BRS strongly opposes this move,” Sabitha stated, emphasizing the party’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of the states and the autonomy of universities.
In his address, B. Vinod Kumar revealed that the BRS had conducted an extensive discussion of the UGC’s proposals, reviewing 11 clauses that, in their view, go against the interests of the states. He announced that the party’s detailed feedback on the proposals would be uploaded to the UGC website shortly. “Once our feedback is submitted, we will hold another press meet to elaborate on our recommendations,” Vinod Kumar added.
Both leaders strongly criticized the central government’s move, accusing it of eroding the federal structure and centralizing control over higher education. They vowed to resist any attempt to undermine the autonomy of universities and diminish the rights of states.
The BRS has made it clear that it will take a strong stand against these proposals, urging the state government to oppose them and protect the federal structure of the education system.
As the UGC continues to push for feedback, the debate surrounding the proposed changes remains a critical issue for the state’s political landscape, with the BRS asserting that it will not stay silent if the federal spirit is further compromised.
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