UGC Extends Deadline for Feedback on Controversial 2025 Draft Regulations

The draft guidelines, criticized by opposition leaders and six states, propose changes to faculty recruitment and vice-chancellor appointments.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has extended the deadline for feedback on its 2025 draft regulations to February 28, 2025, following stakeholder requests.
The regulations propose allowing industry experts and professionals from various fields to be eligible for vice-chancellor appointments, sparking criticism over reduced state autonomy.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, have accused the draft of advancing an ideological agenda and undermining linguistic and cultural diversity.
Resolutions rejecting the draft have been passed by six opposition-ruled states and the legislative assemblies of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, citing concerns over state authority in education.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan defended the draft, calling it a progressive reform and dismissing the opposition's criticism as political posturing.