The Centre has initiated steps to redefine the role of an independent organisation of universities which, according to former academics, has never witnessed such government interference in its 100-year existence.

The education ministry had on June 23 issued an order on the “Restructuring the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) in alignment with the provisions of National Education Policy (NEP)-2020”, sparking concern that the AIU was set to come under the control of the government.

Nearly 1,000 universities are members of the AIU.

The AIU serves as a platform for resource and information sharing and promotion of university activities in education, sports and culture. Till recently, this outfit used to award equivalence certificates to Indian students holding degrees from foreign educational institutions. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has taken over that power.

Registered under the Societies Registration Act, the AIU has always elected and appointed the senior-most vice-chancellor (VC) among the member universities as its president and the next in line in terms of seniority as its vice-president. Currently, Kanpur University VC Vinay Pathak is the AIU president. His tenure is set to end on June 30.

The AIU had convened an offline meeting of the general council (GC) on June 22 and the annual general meeting (AGM) on June 23. The agenda included the election of the president and vice-president. However, the meetings were postponed by Pathak. In an email, Pathak said the meetings were postponed “in view of our ongoing discussions with the Union government on restructuring of AIU”.

At a conference conducted by the AIU on June 23 and 24, several VCs and former presidents protested the decision to postpone the GC meeting and the AGM.

Now, the meetings are to be held online on June 30, but the election of president and vice-president has been dropped following the education ministry order.

The order referred to a letter from the AIU dated March 26, 2025, requesting the education ministry to restructure the AIU in alignment with NEP 2020.

“Accordingly, the central government hereby constitutes a high-powered committee to review the functioning of the AIU and suggest its role in accordance with the NEP-2020,” the order stated.

The six-member committee is headed by Prof Anil Sahashrabudhe, chairman of the National Educational Technology Forum.

“The committee shall submit a report to the government within a period of six months from the date of constitution of the committee. The AIU is advised to maintain status quo till six months or any decision is taken on receipt of the report of the committee, whichever is earlier,” the order stated.

A former president of the AIU said the government wanted to put in abeyance the appointment of the president so that the current dispensation continued in the centenary year.

“The AIU has always functioned as an independent body and has been headed by stalwarts like Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The government has never interfered in its affairs. It seems the government wants to control every institution, including the AIU,” he said.