Centre to implement UGC amendment to ensure chancellor post to Governor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the state moves ahead to implement law to oust Governor from chancellor post, the Centre is all set to amend the UGC rules to ensure that the Governor remains as the chancellor of all universities. The move is to amend the UGC rules and implement them through an executive order. With this, the state laws won’t matter.

The President is the visitor of the central universities, a similar amendment will be made so that the Governor can continue as chancellor of state universities. It is estimated that through this, the political interference of the states in the universities can be prevented and autonomy can be ensured.

If the UGC rules are amended, all states will have to implement it. The UGC regulation is equivalent to the central law as per the act passed by the Parliament. The university rules and regulations will have to be amended accordingly. Any amendments brought by the government will not last.

Technical university VC Dr Rajasree and KUFOS VC Riji John was removed from Vice chancellor post as their appointment was not as per UGC regulations.

A joint move to resist

* Southern states are uniting against the governors. It is indicated this is prompting the Centre to implement amendment in UGC rules.

* Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan states are in the process of removing the Governor. The law is made to give visitor status to the Governor who is removed from the post of chancellor in Rajasthan.

* Tamil Nadu and Bengal have passed a bill to remove the chancellor post but the governors have not signed it. In Maharashtra, the Shinde government withdrew the bill passed by the Uddhav government.

“UGC has no legal barrier to implement the amendment. The state must accept it. Or else, they should refuse recognition and funding to universities,” said Dr KS Radhakrishnan, former Sanskrit university VC.