TN univs face fresh NEP heat amid SEP logjam

CHENNAI: As the new academic year begins soon, the State-run universities in Tamil Nadu are once again under pressure from the Union Ministry of Education over the implementation of the National Education Policy for the year 2024-2025

The BJP-led Union government’s ministry has urged all the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to submit the details.

Both the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have issued a series of circulars since January 2025 to all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to update the implementation of various aspects of the National Education Policy (NEP). The latest directive from the UGC has instructed all universities and their affiliated colleges to update their academic curricula in line with the NEP 2020.

Adding to the woes of state universities, the UGC, in another latest communication, also stated that the progress made by the HEIs in implementing the NEP will be considered when granting privileges and entitlements under various UGC regulations.

The University of Madras has already implemented the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) system, which is part of the National Education Policy (NEP). Still, many other State universities are wary of the State government’s opposition to the national policy. The state's release of its own State Education Policy (SEP) has worsened matters. However, the Justice Murugesan committee’s SEP report, submitted to the Chief Minister, MK Stalin, in July 2024, is yet to be implemented in both schools and higher education institutions.

Stakeholders claim that the Ministry of Education will surely review the progress of NEP in Tamil Nadu, and the State government should implement SEP immediately, so that all state-run universities will heave a sigh of relief on this front.

“If the Centre considers granting entitlements to the HEIs based on the implementation of NEP, the ranking will go down and accordingly, the funds will face the axe (if the national policy is not implemented),” a senior administrative official from a State-run university said. Already, several State universities are functioning without vice chancellors, forcing them to adopt the challenging route of approaching the State government through non-teaching staff for the implementation of SEP. “If the UGC starts reviewing the status of NEP, we do not have anything to produce,” he claimed.

Urging the state government to implement SEP to clear the confusion of the state-run universities, P Thirunavukkarasu, vice-chairman, Association of University Teachers (AUT) said “several secretaries were changed in the Higher Education Department, which is also an issue.” He also said that UGC is only a recommending body. “It does not have the authority to withhold the funds,” he added. Pointing out the recent verdict of the Supreme Court, he said states have the right to reject NEP.

E Balagurusamy, former vice chancellor of Anna University, also pointed out that UGC, in a hurry to implement NEP, has asked to implement a slew of initiatives in higher education without proper thought, preparation and planning. “For instance, measures like introducing double-degree programmes to enhance employability and inviting foreign universities are not only detrimental to the quality of education but also defy the basic tenets of the National Education Policy,” Balagurusamy said.