In Delhi today, Rahul Gandhi stood with other political figures to protest new draft rules from the University Grants Commission (UGC). The protest took place at Jantar Mantar and featured members of the DMK student wing, along with leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav. Together, they voiced worries about the proposed changes.
The main issue is that the leaders believe the new rules give Governors too much power when choosing vice-chancellors at state-run universities. The DMK’s student wing organized this demonstration to bring attention to this perceived overreach by the UGC. These leaders worry that the draft rules hurt the independence of universities. As a result, they think political interference in academic appointments could increase.
Rahul Gandhi’s presence shows that the Congress party opposes the UGC’s new direction. By joining leaders from the Samajwadi Party and DMK, he wanted to show a strong, united front against the proposed changes. Furthermore, the INDIA bloc hopes to pressure the government to rethink the draft rules.
These UGC draft rules have caused much discussion about the power dynamic in higher education. The debate centers on the balance between state governments and Governors. Many critics worry that giving Governors, who are chosen by the central government, more power in university leadership could threaten the universities’ independence. The protest in Delhi shows growing resistance to these changes, and it could lead to more political actions in the future.