‘Varsities’ bill a threat to education system’

A meeting, organised by the All India Save Education Committee (AISEC) in the city on Monday, discussed the Innovative Universities and Foreign Universities Bill.

Eminent speakers, including Prof UR Ananthamurthy (former VC of Mahatma Gandhi University,  Kottayam, Kerala and Jnanapeeth awardee), MS Thimmappa (former VC, Bangalore University) and Prof MV Nadkarni, spoke about the bill, which was passed by the Karntaka legislature without any discussion and approvals from academicians and educationists.

The bill proposes to create two systems — unitary and affiliation, under one university. Under this, two separate pro vice-chancellors would be appointed and the duties of a vice-chancellor would be divided among them.

The approved legislation proposes to give unfettered rights to the university and its faculty to start new and innovative courses, tie up with foreign varsities and issue diploma certificates. This move, according to academicians, isn’t viable and seems to raise questions.

Most academicians spoke at length about the perils ahead if the bill became a law, citing valid reasons.

“The Innovative Universities and Foreign Universities Bill is a threat to our higher education and must definitely not be passed,” MS Thimmappa, former vice-chancellor, said.

 “Commercialisation of education must be stopped at any cost. The present initiatives of the government aren't very poor-friendly and are actually against the ideals of the Constitution,” Prof UR Ananthamurthy said.

The speakers spoke in one voice against the  bill, which  they said, posed a threat to the present education system in the country and state.