Higher Education Ministers of seven states will participate in a one-day conclave on February 5 in Bengaluru to discuss the draft regulations issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the appointment of Vice-Chancellors and Higher Education Institutions.

“It has come to light that regional parties in some states are in alliance with NDA and are not in a position to express their opposition openly. It has also been revealed that JDU, TDP and LJP (Ramvilas Paswan) that are in alliance with NDA have issued press statements expressing their dissatisfaction in this regard. The Minister for Higher Education, New Delhi, will not be taking part in this conclave due to the impending elections in the Capital. However, Ministers for Higher Education of Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are participating in this conclave,” said M.C. Sudhakar, Higher Education Minister of the State.

While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the conclave, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will participate as a special invitee.

Dr. Sudhakar said that the conclave is being organised to comprehensively discuss the stance of the Union government on higher education. All decisions arrived at will be conveyed both to the Centre and the UGC.

He added, “It is extremely important to strengthen the federal structure of the nation. The Indian Education System is very robust. This move of the Centre to forcibly impose its ideology all at once without consulting states is inappropriate in a federal arrangement. This is an anti-constitutional approach.”