Port Blair, June 16: The National Students Union of India, NSUI State President, A&N Islands, Mr. M.A Sajid on Friday afternoon met the Secretary (Education), A&N Administration and raised his objection over the proposal for establishment of Deemed University in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. He also expressed displeasure over the Lt. Governor's act of organizing second general body meeting on June 15th in favour of Deemed University amidst the youth unrest.
During the meeting, NSUI State President informed that the proposal for establishment of a Deemed University in Andaman & Nicobar Islands was approved without taking consultation of Student Unions, Teacher Unions, Stakeholders and expert academicians. He said that the A&N Administration has given a deaf hear to the repeated representation and protests of NSUI since 2019.
Sajid said that as per the proposal all the colleges including JNRM, ANCOL, DBRAIT, MGGC, TGCE, Andaman Law College and ANIIMS will be affiliated to the proposed Deemed University.
He highlighted that the Colleges in these Islands have been affiliated to the Pondicherry University, a Central University for decades. The degree issued by Pondicherry University is given value worldwide as this stands at 68th position in the All India NIRF ranking among top Universities. He expressed concern that the establishment of Deemed University will commercialize higher education in the Islands and private parties will be given free hand to run the university which will lead to no proper regulation of the fees structure. Students from poor family background will not be able to pay such exorbitant fees.
"Moreover, appointment of teachers will be controlled by private parties which will reduce the chances of Island teachers in the University and preference will be given to mainland teachers", added Mr. Sajid during the conversation.
Mr. Sajid suggested that instead of establishing the Deemed University in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Administration should decide to establish a Central University to increase the quality of higher education and promote research in the Islands with low fee structure for students.
He thus requested the Secretary (Education) to relook the proposal for establishment of Deemed University in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and allow the present system of affiliating the Colleges with the Pondicherry University to continue for the benefit of students and to save the collapse of higher education in the Islands.
Further, he cautioned that if the A&N Administration still continues to process the proposal for Deemed University, then they will resort to continuous agitations in these Islands, which will hamper the education sector in these Islands and will also run campaigns to educate the youths on the disadvantages of taking admission in the Deemed University.