Centre misusing UGC for political gains: Chennithala

The Congress leader delivers the Dr. Manmohan Singh memorial lecture organised by KUTO

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has accused the Centre of using the University Grants Commission (UGC) as an intermediary to push its political agenda and control the higher education sector for political gains. The trend, he said, poses a serious threat to the nation’s education system.

He was delivering the Dr. Manmohan Singh memorial lecture organised by the Kerala University Teachers Organization (KUTO) at the university campus on Tuesday.

Mr. Chennithala highlighted that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments had established numerous universities and research institutes, which have been contributing positively to the country’s education landscape. However, the current BJP-led government is undermining these advancements, particularly through its controversial National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

He also charged the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala with facilitating the Central government’s agenda by swiftly implementing the NEP, contrary to the interests of academic autonomy.

The Congress leader also drew attention to Congress-ruled States Telangana and Karnataka, which have expressed strong opposition to the NEP. “Attempts made to undo the transformative changes in education introduced during Dr. Manmohan Singh’s tenure should be resisted. He argued that governments must refrain from interfering with the autonomy of universities, a cornerstone of academic freedom,” he said.

He also released a study report prepared by KUTO that analysed the draft UGC Regulations, 2025. Syndicate member Y. Ahmed Fazil was among those who attended.