CPI (M) Strongly Oppose Proposal of Establishment of Deemed University in A&N Islands

Denis Giles, Port Blair: CPI (M) has strongly opposed the proposal currently underway for establishment of Deemed University in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In a letter sent to the Lt Governor, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with copies to Union Minister for Education and others, Shri D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M), A and N State Organising Committee said that it has come to the notice of CPI (M) that a proposal is under active consideration of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and Govt of India for establishment of a Deemed University on de novo basis for Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He said that the documents with the Party reveal that the proposed Deemed University will be established under the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Legal Education Society. The said society, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, was formed to run the Andaman Law College.

Ayyappan said that as per the proposal all the 7 Government Colleges presently functioning in the islands (JNRM, Port Blair, MG Govt. College, Mayabunder, ANCOL, Port Blair, TGCE, Port Blair, DBRAIT, Dollygunj, Andaman Law College and ANIIMS) will be brought under the proposed Deemed University. CPI (M) State Secretary said that it is surprising that such a proposal involving a major policy decision has been mooted by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration without any consultation with the political parties, students’ organizations and other stakeholders in the islands.

He further stated that the Colleges in these islands are affiliated to the Pondicherry University, a central university, since 1988. The question of affiliation of higher educational institutions in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a settled matter with the establishment of Pondicherry University through an Act of Parliament. The Pondicherry University was established only for the three union territories of Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and CPI (M) wanted to know as to what prompted the bureaucrats in the Andaman and Nicobar Administration and some disgruntled elements to make a proposal/ demand, bypassing the legislation enacted by the Parliament.

CPI (M) expressed concern that once the Deemed University is created and all the higher educational institutions in the islands are disaffiliated from the Pondicherry University and brought under the Deemed University as constituent units, it will sound the death knell of higher education in the islands. Ayyappan said that, at present, the Faculty members and employees of the Colleges in the islands are Government Servants and they will lose this status once the Deemed University is established and they are brought under the Deemed University.

Ayyappan said that the proposal for the Deemed University for Andaman and Nicobar Islands is part of the BJP-led government’s plan to commercialize higher education under the New Education Policy and further said that the costs of education will sky-rocket in the Deemed University and its “constituent colleges”. The fees of students in the Colleges under the Deemed University will be much higher than the fees they are paying now. Students from poor families, particularly those in the rural areas, will not be able to meet the higher fees every year. CPI (M) apprehends that this will lead to a situation where higher education will be a distant dream for the students belonging to lower strata of society.

CPI (M) Secretary further said that the quality higher education will be at jeopardy with limited resources and experts in the islands. Our experience in the ANIIMS, Colleges and other government departments show that qualified Faculty Members, Specialist doctors, technical officers do not prefer to serve these islands due to various reasons. Running the University requires a large number of academicians at the rank of Professors, experts, etc. A number of academic committees and bodies with academicians of repute are required for running the Deemed University.

CPI (M) is sure that like any other organizations created in the islands with fanfare (Port Management Board, ANIIMS, etc), the proposed Deemed University will also be ultimately controlled by DANICS officers. The A and N Administration has proposed the name of a DANICS Officer to head proposed Deemed University. CPI (M) told the Lt. Governor that the entire student community in the islands, cutting across political affiliation and ideology, are against the establishment of the Deemed University in these islands.

CPI (M) hence urged the Lt. Governor to have a re-look of the proposal for establishment of Deemed University in Andaman and 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. CPI (M) warned that if the Government of India and A & N Administration still continue to process the proposal for Deemed University, CPI (M) will resort to agitation by organizing the students, teachers and general public of these islands.