Activists urge UGC to control deemed varsities

Updated on: Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Academics and activists submitted a memorandum to the University Grants Commission (UGC) here on Monday, protesting the proliferation of ‘deemed-to-be' varsities that are not being regulated properly.

Led by the Nyayakaagi Naavu, activists submitted the memorandum to N. Gopukumar, Deputy Secretary of the UGC Regional Office on the Central College campus.

Academic G.K. Govind Rao, who was part of the delegation that gathered at the UGC regional office, said the process of according deemed status was random, and this has proved detrimental to the interests of higher education. “A ‘deemed-to-be' university should adhere to constitutional provisions of reservation. These institutions are also charging exorbitant fees and exploiting students financially,” Mr. Govind Rao said.

Autonomy is meant to reduce the burden on the government but the irregularities and injustice meted out in these institutions is not right, said Agni Sreedhar, the former journalist and activist, who is part of the Nyayakaagi Naavu organisation.
Memorandum submitted

Mr. Gopukumar told the activists that he would ensure that the memorandum reaches the authorities concerned in New Delhi. “I understand your concerns, but the regional office here deals only with colleges in the State. There is a separate bureau for deemed universities in New Delhi,” he told the agitators.

The memorandum urged the UGC to exercise more control over deemed institutions. A copy was also submitted to Bangalore University Registrar (Administration) B.C. Mylarappa.

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