The Governor sent a communication to the VCs of all state universities advising them that there was no need to follow the common syllabus.
Published Aug 22, 2023 | 9:39 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 23, 2023 | 1:36 PM
File photo of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi with Chief Minister MK Stalin. (Supplied)
The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, 22 August, accused Governor RN Ravi of playing with the lives of Tamil students by trying to impose the National Education Policy (NEP).
On Monday, the Governor sent a communication to the vice-chancellors of all the universities in the state, advising them that there was no need to follow the common syllabus designed by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE).
The Governor wrote to the Association of Management of Private Colleges and the principal secretary of the Higher Education Department about the concerns regarding the TANSCHE common syllabus.
Ravi said in the letter that educationists, including vice-chancellors, principals of colleges, and the management of autonomous colleges, brought to his attention their concerns over the state government’s directive to adopt the common syllabus in all the arts and science colleges in the state.
Stating that the DMK government’s move was a “severe erosion of their academic freedom”, Ravi said that determining the standards of higher education was in the Union List of the Constitution and it was beyond the competence of the state government.
He also said the common syllabus brought in by the DMK government severely compromised the quality of education as it was far below and behind the current syllabus being followed.
“This puts to rest any doubt or ambiguity regarding the common syllabus. You are free to have syllabi as designed by the competent body of your institutions and are under no obligation to follow the common syllabus designed by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education,” the Governor said.
Speaking to South First, DMK Students’ Wing secretary and Kanchipuram MLA CVMP Ezhilarasan said that the education system of Tamil Nadu was mainly framed on the foundation of social justice.
“From school syllabus to university syllabus, we are against the ideology of Sanatana Dharma. Ravi, who functions as an RSS agent, is trying to break that. That’s the reason he lectures on the Sanatana Dharma during his interactions with students and bats for the NEP,” he said.
“Ravi wants to destroy the foundation of social justice that is built around the educational system of Tamil Nadu and that is the reason why he is trying to act beyond the constitutional values. He is also trying to meddle with the job opportunities in the state (referring to Governor rejecting TNPSC appointments),” Ezhilarasan said.
The MLA further said that education was indeed on the Concurrent List, adding, “The Governor should know the meaning of concurrent. It’s converging. Acting on the same line. If the state doesn’t want it, it should be dropped. Ravi is turning out to be the most hated person among the people and because of him, the BJP is also reaping the same effect.”
Speaking to South First, a retired vice chancellor, requesting anonymity said that the communication of the Governor to the VCs would create more confusion. Both the Governor and the state government should stop playing politics with education.
“Already, the colleges have started to teach the common syllabus and the semester exams are to be conducted in November. At this stage, the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the varsities, directing the VCs not to follow the common syllabus is not acceptable,” he said.
He also said that the association of the management of private colleges should not have taken this issue to the Governor.
“The association should have approached the government and registered their grievances. Common syllabus indeed has a problem. But it can be rectified. All the stakeholders in the issue should consider the future of the students,” he added.
In March, the TANSCHE sent a circular on the common curriculum to all universities.
The council revamped the syllabus and prepared a new syllabus for nearly 90 courses offered by various state universities
It also stated that the autonomous institutions could decide 25 percent of their syllabus, and 75 percent of the curriculum would be uniform throughout Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, escalating the rift with the state government, Governor Ravi sent back the file on the appointment of the chairman and members of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
The state government had sent a file proposing the former DGP Sylendra Babu as its chairman and named 8 other persons for appointment as members.
The Raj Bhavan, on Monday, returned the file raising several queries regarding the appointments.
Stating that there was no transparency in the appointments, Ravi sought whether any advertisement calling for applications for the posts were been published in the public domain.
He also asked for the number of applications received for the vacancies and the process of scrutiny.
TNPSC, which is supposed to have 14 members, currently has no permanent chairman and functioning with three members, for the past year.
With more than four lakh vacancies in the state government departments, the TNPSC is responsible for the recruitment of personnel into the state’s public service.
It is also responsible for framing recruitment rules, principles to be followed in making appointments and promotions, inter/intradepartmental transfers and disciplinary matters affecting government servants.
