About Us Contact us Kannada

Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M C Sudhakar has written to Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan expressing his opposition to the recently published draft UGC Regulations, 2025.

He said UGC should be engaging in a dialogue with state governments before proposing any changes.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) called for public consultation of its draft for Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education Regulations.

In a letter dated January 13, Karnataka Minister for Higher Education Sudhakar said the state strongly opposes certain provisions related to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors, which he said, strike at the root of the higher education system and powers of the state government.

According to the minister, the draft guidelines provide no role for the state government in selecting the Vice-Chancellor of a university.

"The guidelines provide for a search-cum-selection committee appointed by the Chancellor/Visitor with no nominee of the State Government. The powers to appoint the Vice-Chancellor out of the panel recommended by the search-cum-selection committee is given solely to the Visitor/Chancellor," added the minister.

The qualifications required for appointment of Vice-Chancellors, which include non-academicians, also requires serious deliberation, he added. As per draft, said the minister, if the Vice-Chancellor is not appointed as per these guidelines, the appointment shall be null and void.

"This would contradict the provisions of the legislations governing Universities in the state, including in relation to the tenure and reappointment of Vice-Chancellors," he added.

The minister said the state government plays a critical role in advancement of higher education in the state.

"Karnataka is at the forefront of higher education with a gross enrolment ratio higher than the national average. Substantial funds are provided by the state government to administer and run public universities in the state. Apart from developmental grants to universities, salaries and pensions of the permanent teaching and non-teaching staff are provided by the state exchequer," said Sudhakar.

He also said UGC should ideally be engaging in a dialogue with state governments to assess the present status and issues faced by the universities pertaining to various student related issues in the present system before proposing any radical changes to the existing guidelines.

He urged the union education minister to direct the UGC to withdraw the draft guidelines immediately and engage in a wider consultation with state governments.

 

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.

Comments

Noida: India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma has drawn sharp criticism on social media following remarks he made on air attributing Delhi’s air pollution partly to its geographical location and the Aravalli hill range.

Speaking during a recent episode of his prime-time show Aaj Ki Baat, Sharma said Delhi’s geography plays a major role in trapping polluted air.

“Geographical location is the main reason. Delhi is a big city and its shape is like a bowl, surrounded by the Aravalli hills on three sides. As a result, polluted air gets trapped and cannot disperse easily. Therefore, the problem of pollution in Delhi cannot be solved in one year or in any particular season,” he said.

His comments came amid a severe deterioration in air quality in the national capital. On Sunday morning, December 21, Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of toxic smog, sharply reducing visibility and causing widespread discomfort. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 390 around 7 a.m., placing it in the ‘very poor’ category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Dense fog and smog also disrupted flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). As many as 110 flights were cancelled, while over 370 flights were delayed due to poor visibility. Of the cancelled services, 59 were arriving flights and 51 were departures. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed that departing flights faced an average delay of around 26 minutes.

Netizens troll Sharma

One user wrote on X, “Rajat Sharma is saying due to the Aravalli hills, there is air pollution in Delhi. He is defending mining and destroying the Aravalli hills like this. How can these people call themselves journalists?”

Another user accused him of political hypocrisy, comparing his earlier criticism of the Delhi government with his current remarks, and wrote, “In 2023 he blamed Arvind Kejriwal for Delhi air pollution. In 2025, he is blaming the Aravalli hills because BJP is in power. Hypocrisy = 100%, Journalism = 00%.”

Others termed the comments an example of the “godi media” narrative, alleging that geography was being blamed instead of governance, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, construction dust, and stubble burning. “When they fail to question power or policy, they conveniently shift the blame to nature,” another post read.

“Friends, what can one even say about today’s godi media? According to them, the reason for Delhi’s pollution is that the Aravalli hills surround the city from three sides, trapping polluted air inside. Seriously? So now Sudhir Chaudhary and Rajat Sharma want us to believe that nature itself is to blame? When they fail to question power or policy, they conveniently shift the blame to geography. Apparently, it’s not years of environmental destruction or administrative failure—it’s the Aravalli hills! Does this explanation make any sense at all?,” wrote another.

What is the Aravali issue?

The controversy arises over the Union government’s revised definition of what constitutes the Aravalli hills.

The decision has drawn protests involving environmental activists across Haryana, Rajasthan, and parts of the Delhi-NCR region, who have raised concerns that the new definition could weaken protection for one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges.

Under the revised definition, an “Aravalli hill” is described as any landform in designated Aravalli districts with an elevation of 100 metres or more above local relief, while an “Aravalli range” is defined as a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. Activists fear this could open the door for mining, construction, and commercial activities in previously protected areas.

Environmentalists argue that the Aravalli range serves as a natural barrier against desertification, dust storms, and pollution, and plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in the Delhi-NCR region.

They have demanded that the entire Aravalli range be declared a fully protected area with strict conservation measures.

Meanwhile, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has stated that the new definition, accepted by the Supreme Court based on a Centre-led panel’s recommendations, would not result in any relaxation of mining norms in the Aravalli region.

All Stories

Senior citizen duped of Rs 23.5 lakh on threat of digital arrest in Thane district
Senior citizen duped of Rs 23.5 lakh on threat of digital arrest in Thane district

 A 68-year-old man was allegedly cheated of Rs 23.5 lakh by cyber fraudsters who threatened him with digital arrest in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday.
Delhi's air quality 'very poor' in Delhi
Delhi's air quality 'very poor' in Delhi

Thick grey haze shrouded Delhi on Monday morning, with the air quality remaining in the 'very poor' category with a reading of 366, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Rupee rises 22 paise to 89.45 against US dollar in early trade
Rupee rises 22 paise to 89.45 against US dollar in early trade

The rupee appreciated 22 paise to 89.45 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday supported by foreign fund inflows and a positive trend in domestic equities.

Copyright © 2025. Vartha Bharati. All rights reserved