Let this protest spread wider
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The other day, a vigorous protest took place in the Shankaranarayanan Thampi Hall of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. It was a convention organized by non-BJP ruled states against the draft regulations introduced by the Central Government through the University Grants Commission (UGC), aimed at tightening control over universities and saffronizing the curriculum. The dangers of the draft UGC regulations have already been highlighted by non-NDA-ruled state governments, who have organized various forms of protests. The Kerala Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in the last week of January, demanding the withdrawal of the draft UGC regulations and calling for detailed discussions to evolve a new draft through consensus. Similar protests have been taking place in other states as well. However, the Kerala state government and the Higher Education Department have taken the lead in uniting all dissenting voices into a joint protest. Even the state's opposition, which has been at odds with the state government on issues like the brewery controversy and entrepreneurial policies joined the protest, recognizing the gravity of the problem, and turning it into a model platform for protest. The Thiruvananthapuram convention follows the higher education conclave organized earlier by the Karnataka government in Bengaluru. Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu and Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Govind Chezhian, who attended the convention, announced that similar protests would be organized in their respective states. In other words, opposition-ruled states have launched a new wave of protests against the UGC regulations. Such protests assume significant relevance when the central government unilaterally is set to move forward in a manner that undermines the federal structure of the country.
The most significant hazard in the draft regulations, as highlighted by many, is that they grant more power to the central government through the UGC in the administrative and academic matters of universities. A quick example is the appointment of Vice Chancellors (VCs): the draft regulation seeks to transfer the authority to form search-cum-selection committees for VC appointments virtually from state governments to the UGC. Kerala has already witnessed how the Central government, bypassing state interests, has been interfering in university administration through the Governor. In fact, almost all universities in the state are operating under the uncertainty created by such interventions. That being so, one can only imagine the situation if the Central government gains explicit control. It is only fair that the administrative responsibility of universities working with state governments should remain with the respective state governments. The Central government has also been encroaching on the academic sphere. The conventions and conclaves organized by states like Kerala aim to demand a reconsideration of these issues. The resolution moved by Kerala calls for ensuring that unqualified individuals are not appointed as VCs, that university autonomy is not curtailed, and that directives leading to nepotism and a decline in academic standards in teacher appointments are withdrawn. In other words, when read as a protest, the political and national implications of this convention becomes all the wider.
This is not the first time Kerala has organized such a protest against the Centre. Last September, Kerala hosted a protest conclave of finance ministers from opposition-ruled states in Thiruvananthapuram. It took place when the 16th Finance Commission was touring various states. The protest was against the inequitable distribution of funds to states. The conclave shed light on the Central government's tendency to impose a "financial blockade" on opposition-ruled states for various reasons. It is clear that Kerala was compelled to organize such a protest due to the financial constraints caused by the blockade, which left the state struggling to meet even its daily expenses. The share of taxes allocated to the state has been decreasing every year. While it was 3.88% during the 10th Finance Commission, it dropped to 1.92% by the time of the 15th Finance Commission. The Central Finance Commission has also imposed severe cuts in grants to state governments. The allocation for local bodies has been reduced from 4.54% to 2.68%. The situation is similar for other opposition-ruled states, who are now raising a collective protest. The same momentum is seen in the protests against the UGC regulations. Undoubtedly, these moves have unsettled the Central government to some extent, which is why the Governor's unexpected intervention came against the convention. Regardless of this, such conventions are paving the way for a new form of protests and the unity of democratic and secular parties. Therefore, this protest must spread across the country.
