States must reclaim control over education: former NUALS V-C N.K. Jayakumar

Former Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) N.K. Jayakumar has asserted that the University Acts, enacted by State Assemblies, take precedence over regulations framed by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Delivering a keynote address on ‘University Laws and Dissenting Opinions’ at a seminar organised by the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad here on Saturday, Prof. Jayakumar urged States to push for the restoration of education to the State List of the Constitution from its present position in the Concurrent List.

He questioned the Supreme Court’s stance which accorded primacy to the UGC regulations over State-enacted University Acts. He termed the justification that such regulations, once tabled in Parliament, gain the status of Central laws as surprising.

Took exception

The senior academic also took strong exception to the trend of Governors referring State Assembly-passed Bills, particularly those aimed at removing the Governor as Chancellor of universities, to the President.

“There is no constitutional dispute involved in these amendments, and they do not contravene any existing Central law. Only such factors would warrant referring Bills,” he observed

Weighing in on the raging controversy surrounding the suspension of Kerala University Registrar K.S. Anil Kumar, Prof. Jayakumar accused the Vice-Chancellor of overstepping his authority. He maintained that while the University Acts permits the Vice-Chancellor to take disciplinary action, this extends only up to the level of Deputy Registrar. The suspension, therefore, exceeded his mandate.

He also decried the recent remarks by Kerala State Higher Education Council vice-chairperson Rajan Gurukkal that described Vice-Chancellors as the chief executives and academic heads of universities.

Governing authorities

“Vice-Chancellors are officers of the university, not its authority. The statutory bodies, including the Syndicate, senate and academic council, are the real governing authorities. In emergencies, a Vice-Chancellor may act on behalf of these bodies, but such actions must be ratified at the next meeting of the appropriate authority,” Prof. Jayakumar clarified.

Kerala Council for Historical Research chairperson K.N. Ganesh, who spoke on ‘Challenges in higher education and the path forward,’ expressed deep concern over the four-year undergraduate programme implemented in State universities.

The curriculum, he cautioned, focussed on employment and was disconnected with local needs of society. He added the students were provided limited options under the programme.

Educationist R.V.G. Menon and former Education Minister C. Raveendranath also spoke.