Citing Gujarat Model, Karnataka seeks to clip Governor’s power on varsities

The Karnataka government, while critical of the BJP's much-touted Gujarat Model, has ironically invoked it to justify a proposal which seeks to curb the Governor's powers over state universities.

This includes curtailing the Governor of the supreme authority as chancellor, a position that grants significant influence over university affairs.

Moreover, this step aligns with a broader trend of conflicts between state governments and governors in non-BJP-ruled states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Karnataka to copy Gujarat

In Gujarat, the governor’s powers regarding university administration have been pruned. The role has been largely reduced to presiding over convocations, significantly diminishing the authority traditionally held by the chancellor.

Karnataka now seeks to adopt a similar approach. Minister for Higher Education MC Sudhakar has hinted at amendments to the Karnataka State Universities (KSU) Act, 2000 to limit the governor's authority in higher education.

Legal opinion sought

Drawing inspiration from the Gujarat’s model, Sudhakar pointed to reforms that have shifted control over university administration to the Gujarat government, including the appointment of the head of the chancellor selection committee.

Sudhakar emphasised that Karnataka could benefit from adopting similar measures. He said a report on the proposed amendments has been submitted to the law department for review.

Once a legal opinion is received, a draft bill will be prepared, presented to the cabinet and tabled in the Assembly.

Enacting new rules

The amendments propose reforms to the tenure of chancellors and other administrative procedures.

"While the BJP often lauds the Gujarat model, Karnataka could implement such measures to enhance university governance," Sudhakar remarked.

He noted that an earlier attempt to amend the KSU Act, initiated during G Parameshwar’s tenure as the Higher Education Minister during the SM Krishna government, was not approved by the President of India.

CM as head of university

Recently, the Karnataka cabinet decided to remove the governor as chancellor of the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University. The chief minister will assume this role, with all administrative and appointment-related powers transferred accordingly.

The Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University (Amendment) Bill, 2024, reflecting this change, will be tabled in the ongoing Assembly session.

In Karnataka, the governor traditionally serves as the chancellor for state public universities, overseeing institutions such as Bangalore University, Karnataka University and Visvesvaraya Technological University.

CM to replace governor

This role includes presiding over convocations and appointing vice-chancellors.

However, recent legislative changes have begun to alter this structure. The Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University has amended its governance, appointing the chief minister as chancellor.

As of now, all 25 of Karnataka's state public universities have the governor as chancellor. Nonetheless, ongoing discussions and legislative efforts indicate a potential shift towards appointing the chief minister to these roles in the future.

Home Minister G Parameshwar highlighted that the Gujarat model — where university governance is under state government control — serves as a reference.

Initially, the chief minister will be appointed as chancellor of RDPR University (Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University), with the model potentially extending to other universities in Karnataka.

Law Minister HK Patil added that these changes aim to make university administration more efficient and enable quicker decision-making.

UGC norms

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has proposed minimum eligibility criteria for vice-chancellors, requiring candidates to have at least 10 years of teaching experience. These will be incorporated into Karnataka's amendments.

The amendments limit the governor’s role to ceremonial duties, such as presiding over convocations. They will transfer significant administrative powers, including picking vice-chancellors, to the state government.

They designate the chief minister as chancellor, beginning with the RDPR University. They will introduce eligibility criteria for vice-chancellors as per UGC norms.

Gujarat shows the way

The Gujarat Public Universities Act, 2023 redefined the governor’s role in the state’s public universities. Passed by the Gujarat Assembly in September 2023, it introduced a uniform framework for governing public universities.

Under the Act, the governor remains the ceremonial chancellor but no longer holds significant administrative authority. Key powers, such as appointing vice-chancellors, are now vested in the state government, based on recommendations from a search committee in alignment with UGC norms.

The Act also establishes a board of management as the principal executive authority, further consolidating administrative control under the state government.

By relegating the governor’s role to presiding over convocations and other ceremonial functions, the Gujarat model has significantly curtailed the administrative influence traditionally held by the chancellor.