'Govt attempt to control UGC': Teachers' body demands academic as chairperson, Gaur's removal

The All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has opposed the appointment of Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, higher education secretary as in-charge of the University Grants Commission (UGC) chairperson, demanding that the chairperson should be chosen among the academicians.

The statement from the AIFUCTO comes weeks after the education ministry gave Deepti Gaur Mukherjee the additional charge of the UGC chairperson until a regular chairperson was appointed.

Stating that the appointment of Mukherjee as the UCG chairperson was an attempt of the government to control the commission's function, the teachers’ body said: “According to the University grants commission Act, 1956 in chapter II, clause 5(2) clearly say the Chairman shall be chosen from among persons who are not officers of the Central Government or of any State Government. This action obviously violates the UGC Act.”

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Why Mukherjee was given UGC's additional charge?

The teachers’ association has disagreed with the education ministry’s decision and demanded that it should be reversed “right away.” It has also urged the government to “immediately” appoint a regular chairperson for UGC, who should be from academicians.

Mukherjee’s appointment as UGC additional chairperson took place just a day after she was given the charge of secretary in the department of higher education, ministry of education.

The decision by the government regarding her appointment was taken amid the controversy surrounding the former higher education secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar.

According to the reports, Gangwar’s mother, wife and son had benefitted for over Rs 1.16 crore in government horticulture subsidies. Following which, he was replaced as the higher education secretary by Mukherjee.