Chennai, Jan 21 (Reporter) Upping his ante against the Centre over appointment of Chancellors and VCs of State-run Universities, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday the legal fight to restore the State's educational rights will continue. Speaking at an event at Karaikudi in the southern Sivaganga district after inaugurating a library and unveiling the statue of Saint Tamil Poet Thiruvalluvar, he said while the government was providing all infrastructure and setting up Universities from its own funds, but the appointment of Chancellors was decided by the Centre. "We have been insisting that the power to appoint Chancellors for State-run varsities should be vested with the Chief Minister, who was elected by the people, as it was the state government which had been administering the Universities with its own funds and providing quality education", he said Stating that education was an asset that could never be stole, he said since the Dravidian Model DMK government assumed office, it was giving top priority for educational schemes. Listing out some of the schemes launched by his government in the higher education sector, Mr Stalin said Tamil Nadu was the Numero Uno state in the country in education. The state government has established 32 Arts and Science colleges in the state during the last three-and-a-half years. Pointing out the quality infrastructure available in higher education institutions in the State, the Chief Minister said Tamil Nadu boasts of highest number of Government-run Universities in India, besides more than 500 engineering colleges and highest number of medical colleges. Of the top ranked 100 higher education institutions, 31 of them were in Tamil Nadu, which also stood first with the highest student enrollment ratio in higher education of 49 per cent, which was double than the National average. Asserting that the administration of these Universities should be fully vested with the state government, Mr Stalin said the Chief Minister should be made the Chancellor of these Universities as it was the state government which was designing and launching schemes right from school education to higher education level from its own funds. But, the power to appoint Chancellors was with the Centre, he noted. "Because of this we have been launching legal struggles and other forms of agitation...this legal and political fight will continue till the State's educational rights are restored", he added. Mr Stalin's remarks comes in the backdrop of his strong Opposition to UGC draft guidelines granting more powers to the Governor in appointment of VCs to state-run varsities and seeking the withdrawal of draft 2024, 2025 guidelines. The State government had also adopted an unanimous resolution in the State Assembly urging the Centre to withdraw the UGC draft guidelines, including the regulations relating to appointment of Vice-Chancellors (VCs) as many provisions in it would pose serious challenges to the academic integrity, autonomy and inclusive development of State universities. Expressing serious concern over the draft regulations, Mr Stalin said several provisions in the draft regulations are in conflict with the State’s educational system and policies. Mr Stalin also wrote to Chief Ministers of nine non-BJP ruled states urging them to adopt resolutions in their State Assembly on the lines of the one passed in the TN Assembly opposing the recent guidelines issued by the UGC which were a clear infringement on the rights of State Governments and will have far-reaching consequences on the autonomy of our Universities. In a letter to the Chief Ministers of New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal regarding the recently issued UGC Guidelines, he said it is crucial that we stand united against these attempts to centralize power and undermine the federal structure of our country...////...