The Telangana Education Commission (TGEC) has raised concerns over the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Guidelines-2025, particularly regarding the promotion of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). The commission criticized the allocation of ₹20,000 crore in the 2025-26 budget for IKS, claiming that it could lead to the neglect of existing science and technology institutions. They expressed concerns that the funding might be used to promote subjects like astrology and Manu Smriti instead of genuine scientific research.
The TGEC accused the UGC of overstepping its mandate and interfering in governance structures with politically motivated decisions. Instead of conducting a detailed academic discussion on the guidelines, the commission alleged that the UGC has been making intrusive interventions.
Another major concern raised by the TGEC was the appointment of “knowledge experts” as university faculty. They claimed that this move was an attempt to bring in ideologically aligned individuals without proper academic merit. The commission alleged that central universities are already filled with politically motivated appointments and that the new regulations would further legitimize such practices.
The TGEC also suggested that there was a larger conspiracy behind the UGC Guidelines-2025. They claimed that the central government was systematically placing individuals with communal and ideological biases in key positions within educational institutions. They argued that this was an effort to control academic discourse and future recruitments.
The resolutions of the TGEC were supported and signed by retired professors from universities such as the University of Hyderabad, Osmania University, and Kakatiya University. Among the signatories were experts in political science, sociology, and distance education, as well as a retired Supreme Court judge. However, it is unclear whether any of them had expertise in Indian Knowledge Systems.
The TGEC’s stance has drawn criticism from BJP MPs and Union Ministers, who accused the commission of being influenced by Marxist and leftist ideologies. As a result, the debate over the UGC Guidelines-2025 has now become entangled in political disagreements between the ruling party and the opposition.
