An Uncertain Future Stares At 2 Lakh Students
Akshaya Mukul | TNN
New Delhi: The HRD ministry has decided to derecognize as many as 44 “deemed universities’’, spelling uncertainty for nearly two lakh students who are enrolled with them. The ministry’s decision amounts to an acknowledgement of irregularities in conferring the deemed status on these institutions under the first UPA government in which Arjun Singh was the HRD minister.
The 44 deemed universities, including one promoted by I&B minister of state S Jagathrakshakan, three government-sponsored ones and some in the NCR are spread across the country. These universities were found deficient on many grounds ranging from lack of infrastructure to lack of evidence of expertise in disciplines they claim to specialise in.
The big step, as reported first by TOI, was taken after clearance from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. It is also an indictment of the manner in which the deemed status was doled out during Arjun Singh’s tenure. Although the list includes many that were given the status during Murli Manohar Joshi’s time, the list of those red-pencilled indicates how during Arjun Singh’s tenure the deemed status was virtually up for grabs. The HRD ministry, however, emphasised that the students would be taken care of.
MAHARASHTRA’S BAD EGGS
D Y Patil Medical College, Kolhapur
Started by D Y Patil, a former minister and governor of Tripura. It offers MBBS, occupational therapy and physiotherapy courses. Granted deemed status in 2005
Started by D Y Patil, a former minister and governor of Tripura. It offers MBBS, occupational therapy and physiotherapy courses. Granted deemed status in 2005
Krishna Institute of Med Sciences, Satara
Started by sugar baron Jaywantrao Bhonsale, brother of ex-finance minister Yeshwantrao Mohite. It has four colleges offering courses in dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, biotechnology
Started by sugar baron Jaywantrao Bhonsale, brother of ex-finance minister Yeshwantrao Mohite. It has four colleges offering courses in dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy, biotechnology
Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune
Established in 1921, it’s one of the oldest institutes in the state. It has four streams—arts, fine arts, moral and social sciences, and ayurveda—and a board of distance education Times View: Derecognizing deemed universities that are found to be unfit for that status is fine, but the matter must not be allowed to rest here. Responsibility must be fixed for how these obtained recognition in the first place. Once the individuals responsible are identified, stringent punishment must be imposed on them. A clear message has to be sent—those who treat the futures of lakhs of students in such a callous manner will not be allowed to go scot-free or escape with token punishment. Investigations must also be launched to ascertain whether the granting of recognition was a simple case of incompetence or—as most people would suspect—money changed hands. If it is the latter, nothing less than criminal proceedings must follow.
Established in 1921, it’s one of the oldest institutes in the state. It has four streams—arts, fine arts, moral and social sciences, and ayurveda—and a board of distance education Times View: Derecognizing deemed universities that are found to be unfit for that status is fine, but the matter must not be allowed to rest here. Responsibility must be fixed for how these obtained recognition in the first place. Once the individuals responsible are identified, stringent punishment must be imposed on them. A clear message has to be sent—those who treat the futures of lakhs of students in such a callous manner will not be allowed to go scot-free or escape with token punishment. Investigations must also be launched to ascertain whether the granting of recognition was a simple case of incompetence or—as most people would suspect—money changed hands. If it is the latter, nothing less than criminal proceedings must follow.
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