Student bodies opposed to Private Universities Bill

Updated on: Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The passage of Private Universities Bill by the Maharashtra legislature last month has evoked adverse reaction from students' associations.

During a recent conference at Mumbai University, students as well the associations opposed the bill saying it was passed in a "hurry" during a ruckus in the House over police firing in Maval.

The bill allows setting up of self-financed private universities.

The conference deliberated on the lack of provision for reservations, absence of fee regulation, redressal mechanism and the free hand given to founders in appointing the staff.

"Government passed the bill in a hurry. This shows that it has a lot to hide. There is no provision for participation of students like in the Maharashtra Universities Act," said Varadraj Bapat, faculty member at IIT-Bombay and vice president of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

He also said there was only a vague mention of affirmative action. Secondly, there was no regulation of fees.

The Supreme Court had allowed private institutions to fix their fees, but had also called for a comprehensive fee regulation act, which was pending in Maharashtra, he said.

The conference was organised by the SC, ST, OBC Students and Teachers' Association.

Sainath Durge of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's students wing called for an action committee to oppose the bill.

"The bill looks at education as a private industry and a business," he alleged.

Political parties too have taken exception to absence of provision for reservations in the bill, Durge added.

Student bodies opposed to Private Universities Bill

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