Kerala has officially submitted its position on the Draft UGC Regulations, 2025, to the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The report, prepared on the basis of extensive consultations, calls for safeguarding university autonomy and upholding the principles of federalism in higher education.

Prepared by the State Level Quality Assurance Cell (SLQAC) Kerala, under the Higher Education department, the report advocates for preserving the academic and administrative independence of universities in the State. It expresses concern about the potential centralisation of powers and calls for the continued involvement of State governments in higher education governance.

The government also highlighted the importance of inclusive policymaking by holding broader stakeholder consultations before finalising the regulations. Bemoaning the lack of provisions to protect the interests of academic and administrative staff, the response urges steps to safeguard the rights and service conditions of teachers and non-teaching staff.

In order to enhance academic quality and accessibility, the State has called for regulatory frameworks that support, rather than restrict, access to quality higher education.

The SLQAC recently organised a State-level discussion in Thiruvananthapuram to formulate Kerala’s response. Besides, the Kerala State Higher Education Council had constituted a committee chaired by economist Prabhat Patnaik to study the legal implications of the regulations.

The meeting held here included Higher Education Minister R. Bindu, Kerala Council for Historical Research chairperson K.N. Ganesh, State Planning Board member Jiju P. Alex and Vani Kesari, a member of the Prabhat Patnaik-chaired panel. It also saw participation from teachers’ associations, non-teaching staff unions, student organisations and members of the Syndicate and Academic Council of various universities across the State.

During the discussions, participants critically evaluated the proposed regulations, identified major concerns, and offered constructive recommendations to ensure that the regulations are aligned with the State’s educational priorities, official sources said.