Tamil Nadu opposes repeal of UGC Act
Chennai, July 14 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Saturday strongly opposed the draft bill on Higher Education Commission of India (Repeal of University Grants Commission Act) Act 2018.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the text of which was released to the media here, Palaniswami said: "The Government of Tamil Nadu is of the view that the existing institutional arrangement of the University Grants Commission (UGC) with both regulatory and financial powers is functioning well.
"There is no need to disband the UGC and replace it with Higher Education Commission of India with only regulatory powers."
According to the Chief Minister, the UGC at present is entrusted with the responsibilities of maintaining, monitoring and improving the standards of teaching and research in Higher Educational Institutions.
It also has the power of sanctioning funds under various schemes, which has been in vogue since 1956 without any complaints.
"The UGC has the required capacity for objective evaluation of the proposals received and sanction funds in a transparent manner," he said.
Palaniswami expressed Tamil Nadu's strong reservation and apprehension to the proposed draft bill under which the financial powers are proposed to be transferred to the Ministry of Human Resource (MHRD) or some other body.
He said based on Tamil Nadu's experience, the sanction of funds objectively based on merits has not been very positive by various ministries of the Government of India.
"Further, if this financial power is taken over by the MHRD, we apprehend that the funding pattern would change from 100 per cent funding to 60:40 ratio between Government of India and the State Government," he added.
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US Election Results 2024: Donald Trump claims election victory, says God spared my life for a reason
Washington DC: Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump is on the verge of a landslide victory in the 2024 US election, as he leads with 267 electoral college votes, just three short of the required 270 to secure the presidency. In a triumphant speech, the 78-year-old thanked his supporters, calling the win a "magnificent victory for the American people."
Trump, who survived an assassination attempt earlier this year, remarked, "God spared my life for a reason," attributing his survival to this political moment. He described the Republican campaign as the "greatest political movement of all time," vowing to "help the country heal" and address key issues like border security.
Kamala Harris, the incumbent Vice President and Trump’s main opponent, currently trails with 214 electoral votes. Trump's victory has been bolstered by Republican success in battleground states, flipping seven swing states that had largely supported Democrats in 2020. So far, Trump has secured Georgia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, while leading in Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nevada.
In addition to the presidency, Republicans are also on course to secure control of the Senate and are leading in the race for the House of Representatives, further cementing the party's dominance in the US political landscape.
Trump concluded his speech by thanking his running mate JD Vance, his family, and high-profile supporters like Elon Musk for their backing during the challenging campaign.
