Professors of different Central Universities across the country on Wednesday met at Delhi University and discussed the Common University Bill (CUB). The professors’ fraternity has told The Pioneer that CUB is expected to be passed in Parliament this year. The draft of CUB had been prepared during the regime of United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-2.
Professors from Allahabad Central University (ACU) have said the implementation of the Bill will give a high pitch to the privatisation of higher education. “Some chapters in the draft bill are tilted in favour of big business giants, who are using Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) as tool,” alleged Ram Krishan Shastri, Professor of ACU.
DU college professors discussed the technicalities of the Bill. One of them said once the CUB is passed, the existences of the councils in Central Universities will be vanished.
In the chapter XV, 62 (i) and (ii) it is clearly mentioned that there will be an establishment of Vice Chancellors Council.
“The members of this council will be a deputy secretary level officer. Why MHRD is deputing their members when every Central University has their own Councils (Academic Council, Executive Council), questioned a DU professor.”
There is another clause in the University Bill, which has created apprehensions among the professors of Central University. Under 62, 2 (C), the professors in Central University will be transferred anywhere in India.
“It is next to impossible for research mentors to shift themselves in the other university. First, every professor has their specific area of research and it is not possible for the professors to shift with all their research materials, especially in the field of science,” professors contended.
“The CUB will privatise and commercialise the existing Central Universities. Higher education as instrumental change social change will completely lose its relevance,” said Aditya Narayan Mishra, former president, Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA).