Port Blair, Aug 25: CPI (M) has demanded to resolve the issue of affiliation of engineering courses of DBRAIT, Dollygunj immediately.  In a letter sent to Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Shri D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A & N State Organising Committee drew the attention of the Lt. Governor to the agitation launched by a group of students in front of the DBRAIT gate at Dollygunj on the withdrawal of affiliation of engineering courses of the DBRAIT by the Pondicherry University.

The University had to take the extreme step of withdrawing/not extending the affiliation to the Engineering Degree courses at the Dr BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Dollygunj more than four years back after it was noticed by the University that the A & N Administration/ DBRAIT had failed to fulfill the basic criteria of infrastructure, faculty, etc.  It is regrettable that instead of taking steps to rectify the mistakes/shortcomings pointed out by the University, the A & N Administration approached the Hon’ble High Court by filing a Writ Petition against the Pondicherry University, a central university established exclusively for the Puducherry and A & N Islands through an Act of Parliament and functioning directly under the administrative control of the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India), Shri Ayyapppan said.  

CPI (M) told the Lt. Governor that the issue could not be solved even after approaching the Hon’ble High Court and the Administration continued to enroll the students for the 1st year courses and lateral entry, unmindful of the future of the students and reportedly by hiding the fact from the parents and students. CPI (M) regretted that the central government and its Administration in the islands  failed to resolve this most  genuine and  time-bound issue which led to the situation  where students are not being allowed to appear at the University Examination at the close of each Semester. CPI (M) is of the opinion that the entire issues relating to DBRAIT affiliation have been mishandled by the authorities, placing the interests of certain person (s) above the interests of students. CPI (M) told the Lt. Governor that the entire higher education system in Andaman & Nicobar Islands is in doldrums with lack of vision and autocratic style of functioning of decision makers from time to time.   Shri Ayyappan requested the Lt. Governor to take all possible measures to ensure that the affiliation of Engineering courses of DBRAIT is restored by the Pondicherry University and the students are not put to unnecessary harassment and to avoid lapse of academic year to the already admitted students.