Hyderabad: The Centre is expecting states to provide funds and run universities but removing their role in the appointment of VCs and in admissions, said Telangana deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka. Censuring the central government over the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new guidelines over vice-chancellor appointments and other issues, he advocated for more autonomy with state governments on matters of education.
Addressing delegates at a national convention on higher education at Thiruvananthapuram, the Telangana deputy chief minister said, “University Grants Commission’s new guidelines are like ‘You must pay bill but can’t order your food’. If this situation is allowed then states will be confined to ribbon cutting ceremony at the inauguration of buildings,” he stated on the new UGC guidelines.
Bhatti Vikramarka said that education sector is in the concurrent list and is not in “the monopoly of central government”. He added that states build educational institutions and systems suitable to their respective people and social setups. “There would be no similarity between two states. No state could provide quality education without autonomy,” he asserted.
The Telangana deputy CM also stated that all states should convey their opinion on such an important priority subject without merely confining themselves to discussions alone. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved a draft related to minimum qualifications for appointment of academic staff in universities and colleges across the country.
The new regulations also change the selection process of vice-chancellors, such as expanding eligibility criteria to include professionals from academia, research institutions, public policy, public administration, and industry.
“When states stand united with a common objective, the centre must listen. States are not mere administrative units but lifeline for the progress of the country. Only a state will know the aspirations of their students, their pulse and special challenges to be overcome and Delhi could not run the education sector through remote control,” said the Telangana deputy chief minister. Bhatti Vikramarka also argued that the Centre should formulate policies in tune with the requirements of states.
Stating that cooperation does not mean coercion but consultation, Vikramarka said that if the Centre truly believed in the spirit of federalism, it should hold discussions to understand their view point. “States are not seeking help but explaining emphatically about their role in the education system. If states voice their views unitedly, their reverberations would reach any distance and history proved that,” said the Telangana deputy chief minister.
